The Emissary

Part 1

1

After several uneventful nights, Mark made camp on a secluded, hiker-free pie-slice of a hilltop, surrounded by adolescent birch trees. It was a rare indulgence to listen to the wind in the spare branches, to see the Milky Way without all the damn light pollution, to be alone with his thoughts for once. But in the wee hours, he heard a sound that startled him awake. It was unlike any sound he had ever heard, and he had heard a lot of sounds. He tried to place it. It wasn’t a natural sound. Not a bear or a raccoon, coyote or wolf. In fact, what struck him was the rest of what he might call natural sounds had gone quiet and what he heard was not unlike a thin whir, a soft electrical thrum, perhaps from a synthesizer or an electronic musical instrument, except more complex, accompanied by a sort of tingly sensation, like just before you get an electrical shock, but the shock never came, only a slight perturbation in the light from the stars, a barely perceptible ripple in a mere reflection of stars on a still lake, and then silence.

He scrambled out of his tent to investigate. He saw and heard nothing unusual for ten or fifteen minutes. Then came one of the strangest sights he could imagine. As he searched the woods with his flashlight, he noticed a flying object, made of a silver-bronze colored material, about two feet tall, dome-shaped on the top, curving down to a narrow bottom, in the shape of a cone, making it resemble a tuba mute – as a musician, he was familiar with these. It cautiously approached him, in fits and starts, the way a curious puppy might if it flew four feet off the ground, propelled by some unknown force. Now, things were getting a little weird. He had in fact seen too many UFO movies, but he had not been drinking or smoking anything that might impair his judgement. What if – and that’s a big “what if “ – this is an alien visitation? Were his only companions on this hill visitors from another planet? What if this cone-shaped thing easing its way towards him was not of this world?

He didn’t have long to think. The mute-shaped object soon hovered in his reach. As he studied it, a door opened in its side and a mechanical arm extended a small metallic cylinder towards him. Reflexively, he reached out and took it. Well, that was either stupid, naïve, or totally foolhardy. Too late. The container was in his hand. On it, in a font he did not recognize, was a simple message: “P in here. Return to module.” He considered the message for a moment. If someone were visiting from another world, one of the main dangers to them would be Earth-dwelling, particularly human, microbes – the risk of fatal diseases. This somehow made sense to him. He was bemused his mind went this direction, despite his obvious feelings of trepidation. Of course, he reasoned, intelligent aliens would want a sample before contact could be made. In a moment, he turned his back and complied. At worst, this was all a joke. At best, someone might have come light years to meet him, and he didn’t want to miss this opportunity. The flying mute moved off with his sample. He sincerely hoped this wasn’t a hidden camera prank.

Unable to find a camera lens pointed in his general direction, he went back to his tent and sat down, parked in the doorway awaiting whatever might happen next. What if the aliens meant to harm him? Ridiculous question. If harm had been intended, he wouldn’t be sitting there, staring out into the woods waiting for the next shoe to drop. After about half an hour, the tuba mute returned. He rose and met it as before. This time the mechanical arm extended a small vial. On it was written, “Low-grade infection. Other minor health concerns. Drink this.” In for a penny, in for a pound. Perhaps it was his curiosity or sense of adventure, but to this day he doesn’t know exactly what possessed him to drink the contents of the vial, but he did. The module flew off, leaving him standing there with the empty vial, and an uneasy-queasy feeling. Suddenly, he felt unbelievably drowsy, so he staggered back to his tent. He didn’t even have time to zip up the door before he passed out.

As the sun rose, he awoke, strangely refreshed. He had never felt better in his life. His shoulder had ached a little the day before. No pain today. He also had the sensation he was a little stronger, could see and hear a little better, could breathe a little easier. The mountain air no doubt. But at least whatever was in the vial did not kill him. Maybe it’s true. Whatever doesn’t kill you literally makes you stronger…if the science is right. He decided to take a little walk in the direction the disturbance seemed to be moving last night. At least I’ll get to stretch my legs and maybe get to the bottom of this. If I find a camera crew, we’ll all have a good laugh.

After a few minutes, the tuba mute-module again settled down in front of him. Like a loyal dog, it turned in quarter-circles as if motioning him to follow. Alright, this is getting interesting…as if it wasn’t last night. He decided to follow “Lassie” and see where she would lead him. After about 15 minutes, he reached a clearing on top a small hill. Presently, the module seemed to vanish into the morning air. Oh, great, all this way for nothing. A moment later, a panel slid out towards the ground and a door opened in what upon closer inspection seemed to be shimmering air.

“Come in. You are welcome,” said a soft voice in a halting inflection.

What was that about in for a penny? Well, this isn’t on my bucket list, but it should be. If I die now, at least I’ll have the answer to one of humankind’s oldest questions. It would be a shame if I couldn’t share it, though.

He climbed up the ramp and walked through the open door.

Once inside, his suspicions were confirmed. Doubly. First, the space was like nothing he had ever seen before outside of fiction. Like the tuba mute-module, it seemed to be made of materials having little or no parallel on Earth, unless this was a top-secret experimental military craft. It really was invisible from the outside. This fact was far beyond a James Bond movie illusion. And so was the interior. It could have been Steve Jobs’ wildest, most hallucinogenic fantasy. But all that did not quite convince him. It was the second thing. Namely, the person who greeted him. She was completely bald, slight of build, about five-and-a-half-feet tall, with skin the color of yellow-gold alabaster, and appeared to be human, with features he at first thought vaguely reminiscent of Asia – surely, not even China had technology like this – but on second thought, her appearance was somewhat “elvish,” not unlike certain characters in “The Lord of the Rings,” but also not unlike Pauley Perrette of television’s NCIS, if Ms. Perrette had alabaster skin, shaved her head, and piloted a spaceship. At least he felt reassured this was a human-like female, given she was dressed in a gossamer light green gown seeming at first glance to be painted on, but on second glance emanated from a silver-bronze, ring-shaped collar comfortably resting on her slender neck. On her right wrist was a band of the same color and material as the collar but covered with an array of symbols unrecognizable to him.

“May I sit down, before I fall down?” he asked.

“You may. Human male, I presume?”

A chair of sorts literally formed itself from the floor behind him. OK, that’s one more thing.

His hostess calmly spoke, more liltingly this time, “In your language, I would be called Alix. This is the nearest pronunciation. What do you call yourself?”

“Mark…I am Mark,” he stammered clumsily. “But, how do you know my language?”

“I am pleased to meet you, Mark,” she said. “Did you think I could travel over 30 light-years to visit your planet, yet still be unable to learn your language?”

“I see what you mean.”

“I can also sense your thoughts. May I say, they are clearer than I expected. I can see you have thought of this possibility before. So, why did you ask and what is ‘Lassie’?”

“I had to start somewhere,” he said warily, wondering how she knew he was thinking of Lassie. “Lassie is the name of a fictional dog loyal to a fictional boy named, Timmy.”

“Thank you for the clarification. Try not to be nervous,” Alix said as she tapped her wristband a couple of times and the gown morphed into an opaque dark green robe. “I can sense you found my previous attire a little…revealing.”

“I’m…sorry…I meant no disrespect, It’s just that…”

“ Your thoughts show you are…” Alix paused for a moment, “…modest.”

“You could say that.”

“I did say that.”

He laughed nervously. He had little choice. It was either laugh or run away as fast as humanly possible.

“I’m glad you have a sense of humor,” Mark observed.

“What do you mean by a sense of humor? Do humans have a sense beyond the usual twenty-one?”

“It’s not a ‘sense’ like taste, touch, smell, hearing, or sight. It’s when one person points out the flaws in what another says or does, as if to make a joke out of them.”

“If you say so,” she replied. “This kind of humor is no longer a part of my culture. I would never try to make a witticism out of another person’s mistakes or misfortunes. It might make them feel… unimportant.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not offended. I was being overly obvious, after all. By the way, how do I know if you are human or just appear to be? Your species could be more like a squid or an iguana, and with this kind of technology you could just show me what you think I would like to see.” 

“We believe it is not proper to lie about our appearance or anything else, for that matter. Centuries ago, we discovered there is no long-term benefit to concealing the truth for personal advantage. Basically, our species is much the same as humans, but with a few outer differences.”

“Well then, I’m relieved you’re not a squid lady or an iguana woman.” Mark, still a little anxious, tried to make a joke.

“Perhaps one day I can take you to meet one.” Alix tried to calm him. “All kinds of intelligent species may exist in other parts of the galaxy.”

“Thank you for your…reassurance. Let’s just concentrate on those of us in the here and now. That’s enough for me.”

“Very well, Mark.”

“At least I have experienced an answer to the Fermi paradox,” Mark muttered.

“I have studied that question,” Alix responded somewhat eagerly, like a student who was ready to show her professor she was prepared for class, “it all comes down to knowing where to look.”

“Would you care to elaborate…Alix?”

“Certainly. Worlds with life, potentially intelligent life, tend to be found in clusters separated only by hundreds of lightyears. Although the galaxy is 100,000 lightyears across, there is a high probability of finding worlds with life bunched together.”

“Like buses in a big city…” Mark mused.

“What is a bus and why do they bunch together?”

“I’m sorry. A bus is a large transport vehicle that can carry many people. They bunch together because of variations in ridership that add up to distort the planned bus schedule. So, instead of arriving at regular intervals, their arrival times tend to bunch together.”

“That is a fair analogy. After what you call the singularity, star systems did not spread out evenly. Certain anomalies in space-time delayed some and accelerated others, so when life appeared, it did so in statistically predictable regions of the galaxy.”

“Predictable to your scientists, but not to us so far, unfortunately. What about the Drake Equation?”

“I am sorry…that is nonsense. It was a good thought experiment, but our analysis of variance predicts where to look, so much so that we have been researching other worlds for some time.”

“Well, you found us. And that’s something truly amazing.”

There was an awkward silence in which Mark tried to come to grips with everything he had just learned. He sighed a little and regarded Alix with something between wonder and awe, but not fear. It was as if she was an old friend talking to him about cosmology and the nature of life. She did not seem to be threatening to him or hiding anything from him.

Sensing Mark’s apprehensions were easing, Alix came to the point, “My mission is to meet one human and try to reach some understanding about how our two species might co-exist and work together. I know something of your planet’s history and its current conflicts and struggles, and I, that is, we, are unsure how to proceed. Contact with beings from another world can be traumatic – for both cultures. I am expected to find an emissary to introduce my people to yours. As you are thinking, this may be a nearly impossible task.”

“I hope you can’t read too many of my thoughts,” said Mark. “I want to help as much as I can, but I have serious doubts about how others will react to your presence. Humans can be suspicious, fearful, irrational, territorial…”

Alix interrupted him, saying rather forcefully, “My craft has been discovered. Its electromagnetic signature has been detected. We must leave immediately.”

The door opened again, and she ushered him out and into the dazzling sunshine. She pressed a few symbols on her wristband and an amazing thing happened. The craft, made of the same silver-bronze material as the tuba mute, appeared for just a moment, then shrank into what looked like a backpack, and she nonchalantly picked it up and placed it on her shoulders. As her robe shortened to a more sensible tunic, she tossed a little marble-sized object to the spot where the craft once rested.

“To the woods,” she commanded.

The moment they found cover, the marble dispersed itself across the grass, burning these words: “The Emissary Will Reveal All.”

“I am sorry for the damage to your planet, but it was unavoidable,” she remarked.

No sooner had she made this apology than a drone appeared over the crest of the next hill. Again, with the touch of a few symbols, the drone flew off in another direction.

“It will fly in circles until it runs out of fuel,” she pointed towards the woods, “This is the way to your camp.”

They were on their way. Unexpectedly, perhaps because of the confidence of his new companion, or the technology he just witnessed, Mark’s heart was not in his throat. His head was full of questions, though.

The first of these was based on a simple observation. “Alix, please forgive me for asking this, but onboard your ship your skin seemed to be much lighter. Now it appears to be dark bronze. Is it the lighting or did your skin change color?”

“There is no need to ask for forgiveness for a mere observation. I suppose it would appear strange to a species differentiated by skin color to encounter one with the ability to change skin colors depending on lighting conditions. You see, the more intense the ultraviolet light, the darker my – our species’ – skin will become. This ability helps protect us from other forms of radiation as well.”

“Oh. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.”

“Why would your eyes want to trick you?”

“It’s just a colloquial expression, meaning a person may have seen an illusion or mirage.”

“Very well. I assure you it is no illusion. I must learn more of your colloquial expressions.”

“I’m sure you will, Mark smiled, “Just so you know, there are many people on this planet who would gladly pay for such an ability – for good and not-so-good reasons.”

“I am aware of your planet’s history and the strained and sometimes violent relationships between races based on skin color, combined with certain unfair assumptions. I think you call them prejudices. My people learned long ago concerns such as the color of a person’s skin are inconsequential when compared to other more universal and pressing problems.”

“I hope my people will one day see each other without the need to justify their status based on skin color. We still have much to learn.”

“Yes. Perhaps my people could help your people expand their understanding of life in the universe.”

“Well, you’ve already blown my mind.”

“I am sorry. I did not intend to injure you.”

“No. That’s not what I meant. I meant you’ve expanded my awareness in unexpected ways and challenged my thinking.”

“I see. Another colloquial expression.”

“Yes. The events of the past several hours have unexpectedly expanded my thinking.”

“You mean, they have blown your mind?”

“Now you’re getting it.”

They walked in silence towards his camp. After some time had passed, he told Alix of a cabin he had passed a few miles away. She agreed it would be a good plan to arrive there by nightfall.

“About that vial,” he asked, “what did I drink? Despite our speedy retreat, I feel like a much younger man.”

“Yes, you should. The vial contained what you would call nanites. At this moment they are curing your diseases and repairing your body. With any luck you should live another 200 Earth years, assuming you do not experience life-ending injuries. The only force able to deactivate this technology is an electro-magnetic pulse.”

“I suppose thanks are in order,” he replied, “but it would have been good to know that before I drank the contents of the vial.”

“I apologize. You seemed willing to drink the vial without much hesitation, and I did not think extending your life would be a problem. Please understand this is how medicine works on my world.”

“No need to apologize. Thank you for your help. Usually, I like to know what I’m getting into. But you are correct. For some reason, I was willing to drink the vial knowing nothing of its origin. Now that I think about it, that was a foolish thing to do.”

“You must understand, your compliance was predictable. You fit our profile. We had hoped to find someone whose thought process was open to work with us.

“Predictable? Profile? What do you mean?”

“I will answer all your questions in due time. Part of my mission is to discover, as you have said, what I am getting into. Please be patient with me.”

“OK. Are you alone, then?”

“Yes.”

“You made a journey of 30 light-years by yourself? Weren’t you lonely? How did you do it? Did you sleep? Did you use some sort of cryo-technology?”

“I did not have time to be lonely.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have no doubt heard the phrase; time is of the essence?”

“Sure. That’s an old saying meaning we must do certain things promptly rather than procrastinating.”

“In some cases, time really is the essence. Our technology involves time moving slowly at relativistic velocities. It only took me a few weeks to get here. Here and on my world the journey took many years. The implications are in Einstein’s equations. Civilizations that master space-time and gravitation can travel anywhere in the galaxy.”

“Well, that’s a lot to process. I’ll need some time to think about it,” Mark smiled.

“Is that a joke?”

“Sort of, but not at your expense – more or less at mine.”

“Then it is amusing, I suppose.”

They stopped long enough for him to break camp and then headed for the cabin.

Shortly before dark, they came to the cabin, Mark with his backpack of supplies, Alix with an entire spaceship in hers.

“Even though I feel a lot younger, I still need to rest, and besides, it will be dark soon,” said Mark.

“Very well,” replied Alix. “We will need to keep moving in the morning. They will be searching for us, and it is much too soon for them to find me.”

“What do you mean by, they?”

“I assume they are part of your planet’s military. Obviously, they tracked my ship. It is inactive now, but there are other, more mundane ways of tracking.”

“I see. Well, it won’t do to have you walking through the woods in your tunic. We don’t want to attract attention. I have a change of clothes – hiking clothes – to help you blend in. I suggest you…”

Alix turned off her collar, and the tunic disappeared. Mark turned his back in embarrassment.

“Oh, I see I have distracted you again.”

Mark handed her a pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, and a baseball cap. “You could say that.”

“I did say that.”

“It’s alright. I was raised to think it’s OK to look at a naked woman only if she is your wife or lover.”

“Or if she gives you her permission – which I do. There is no reason for you to feel uncomfortable. In my culture, males and females can look upon one another in an innocent way. Over time it has become clear to us not every look is necessarily connected to the desire to become physically intimate. And remember, I can sense your thoughts on the matter,” Alix paused. “ It seems you are pair-bonded, and this is common among your species. Therefore, you believe certain kinds of intimacy are… inappropriate. In addition, while we are both curious, I think it is much too early in our relationship for us to contemplate physical intimacy, even if this might be possible between our species.”

“I hope you are joking about that last part.”

“No, I was merely making an observation.”

“Well…I…appreciate…your point,” Mark said, deliberately staring out the window, now even more uncomfortable than before. “But let’s not talk about this. At least not now. Perhaps not ever. It’s been a very long and very strange day for me. Let’s get some sleep. Do you sleep?”

“Of course, I do.”

Mark went to sleep thinking, why me? Alix perceived his thoughts and resolved to tell him as soon as possible.

2

By dusk the team sent to investigate the landing site had reached their destination. Finding the message in the grass and no other sign of life, the Colonel puzzled, “Now what is that supposed to mean? Who the hell is The Emissary?”

He reported back to his superior. The clipped reply: “Make sure to search the area completely. Leave no stone unturned. Find out what happened.”

The tracker went to work. “There were two. I’d say they went down this way.” This was duly reported, and the chase was on.

By nightfall, they reached Mark’s camp. The fire had been cold for hours, and there wasn’t much to see other than two sets of footprints heading into the woods.

“We’ll resume at daybreak. Get some rest,” said the Colonel.

As he said this, one of the men held up a set of car keys. “Lookee what I found, Colonel!”

The Colonel smiled. “You may have just found them.”

3

The next morning, Mark and Alix rose early, knowing there was no time to waste. They had a few miles to cover in rough terrain, and they had to do so before their pursuers caught up with them.

After Mark showed her his map and pointed to the General Store, Alix surprised him by immediately breaking into a run.

Mark called out, “Wait, I can’t go that fast! What if we get separated?”

“Do not be concerned, Please, try to keep up!”

Mark shrugged and began to run, thinking, I haven’t run a mile since high school. I’m not that fast, nanites or not. He was relieved to learn he was wrong. He could keep up. And he was not straining or becoming winded.

The search was well underway at this point. The tracker was more than competent, and barely an hour after Mark and Alix left, the team had the cabin in sight. “They must have gone in there.”

Mark was amazed how fast he was able to cover ground. He felt more like an Olympic athlete than a retired professor. At least, this was how he assumed a young, trained athlete would feel. It was a good thing too. Alix started to run faster.

While Mark and Alix were racing through the woods, the team was searching the area around the cabin. The tracker soon found their footprints. “They went that way.”

“Put a small drone in the air and follow their tracks. They can’t have gone far,” the Colonel commanded.

The chase was on. The drone was launched.

By this time, the pair had begun to cross a small meadow. Mark thought of a product he once saw called, “Meadow in a Can,” which contained a mix of many wildflowers – daisies, lavender, violets, poppies, cone flowers, clover, fescue, and so on – too bad they had to keep moving. He thought about telling Alix about this wild and crazy product, but she interrupted his thoughts. Or rather, her wristband interrupted them.

“Another drone is approaching. I will send it back to circle its point of origin.”

A few wristband-taps later the drone did a 180.

“We do not have much time. My estimate is less than 30 Earth minutes,” Alix volunteered.

“It’s not far to the General Store and my car,” Mark replied. “It seems to me whoever is following us would be thrilled to have your wristband, never mind the spacecraft. So, how is it even possible to fold up a 40-foot-wide ship into a backpack?”

“That would take a lot of topology lectures. I can tell you the basic concept.”

“Wait, let me guess. Does it have something to do with the notion that a doughnut and a coffee cup are pretty much the same topologically?”

“I am surprised you know that.”

“Why? Do I look like I wouldn’t? And what did you mean when you said my thoughts are clearer than you expected?”

“We anticipated our ability to sense some of what your species was feeling or thinking, especially with the aid of the nanites, but I was not anticipating your thought-patterns. Our research can only tell us so much about possible emissaries. I hope you are not offended.”

“I’m not offended, just a little worried you will read too many of my thoughts…so…I was somehow identified as a possibility? How?”

“I prefer not to discuss that now. We must get out of this area first and I will tell you more. To reassure you – and you seem to need reassurance – I find your thoughts comforting. I can tell you are curious about me and feel oddly attracted to me…which embarrasses you…you are concerned about my well-being…and you think I am…beautiful.” This was the first time Mark had seen her smile a little. She added, “These are good signs.”

In his embarrassment, Mark diverted. “Maybe we’ve said enough for now.” Changing the subject, he asked, “So, how does your ship shrink…or fold?”

“Folding is only a partial description, but it will do for now. The ship can assume many configurations, all of which offer the possibility of more space on the inside than the outside surface area might suggest. Are you familiar with the Pauli Exclusion Principle?”

“No two particles can occupy the same space at the same time.”

“Correct! Another surprise.”

“Are you joking?”

“I am not. I am merely stating a fact.”

“OK…so what does Pauli have to do with it?”

“There is a lot more space available than you might think.”

“I suppose things don’t have to weigh as much as we might assume either?”

“You are a quick study. While everything has a certain mass, which we cannot change, if we can change the gravitational constant locally, we can alter an object’s weight, so to speak. A planet’s gravitational field can also be bent, or rather reshaped to an extent. That is the function of this technology. It would take a long time to explain, but I hope one day you can help me find a way to explain it to some of your best scientists.”

“A tall order. I’m beginning to feel pretty inadequate.”

“Don’t think about it now. Right now, our only task is to get out of this area.”

Before long, they could see the store and the parking lot. Mark thought he heard an ATV in the distance. Like horses heading for their barn, they sprinted towards safety. Mark was hoping to get to the car before they were spotted.

“What about the security cameras?” Mark asked, fishing in his backpack for the car keys.

“I can erase the storage devices.” She again tapped her wristband rhythmically.

“I have a confession to make. I lost the car keys.”

“That will not be a problem.”

A few moments later, they could see men on a not-too-distant ridge, but with comparative ease, Alix’s wristband had unlocked the car and started the engine.

“We must go. Time is now of the essence,” she said.

“I thought you said it is the essence,” he joked.

As they drove away, an 8-year-old girl with a cell phone took a picture of their car. “Look at that weird-looking bald guy in the flannel shirt, mom. See, I took his picture.”

About a quarter-of-an-hour later, the tracking team showed up. “Stan, check the security footage,” the Colonel commanded. As he headed for the entrance to the General Store, the mother and daughter were leaving.

“Ma’am, sorry to bother you, but this is a matter of national security. Did you or your little girl see anything unusual around here?”

“Show the Captain the picture you took, honey.”

“I’m a Colonel, Ma’am. Oh…my…this is just what we need. May I borrow this phone for a few minutes?”

“Well, if it’s a matter of national security, do I have any other choice, Colonel?”

“Not really. Just wait here in the store.”

At that point, the man tasked with retrieving the security footage returned. “Sorry Colonel, the disc drives have all been erased.”

“That’s not a problem, Stan. We have their license plate number. Call it in.”

4

“By the way, Alix, why were you not concerned about getting separated from me and the map?”

“I am able to connect to a network called, GPS. It is quaint, but very effective for our purposes. Locating the parking area would not have been a problem. Look, here is a holographic map of the area.”

“Oh…I see…Well, now will you tell me what your plan is?” asked Mark.

Alix was silent for a moment.

“It is interesting how your species still uses this antique technology: A combination of internal combustion engine, electrical battery, and electric propulsion, connected by friction to the ground. It is not very efficient, you know.”

“I know. I think you’re stalling. Let me ask again. What’s the plan?”

“First, we must find a secure place to hide. If you have a residence, they will find it, and my mission may be over before it starts.”

“But you erased the security footage.”

“There are other ways of locating you. I understand your civilization has something called, the internet. There is much more information about you than you want to admit, and with all the small computers scattered around the planet – I think you call them smart phones – there is no way we can tell for certain who has captured your image, or mine.”

“What about my wife, Michele? Do you think they will track her?”

“Given time, yes. However, I advise waiting to contact her. It is unlikely our pursuers are planning to do her harm at this time.” Alix paused. “If you are pair-bonded, why were you wondering about the possibility of intimate contact with me back at the cabin?”

“Wait a minute! That’s what I’d call a little too intrusive,” Mark expressed his embarrassment. “It’s not fair to hold me accountable for passing thoughts, Alix. Don’t forget you brought it up. I’ll admit, the thought crossed my mind, but I quickly put it aside. And, as you’ve sensed, I’m married, and my wife will be worried if I don’t come home on time.”

“Then, why are you thinking such thoughts about me now?”

Red-faced, Mark replied, “Has your species ever heard the phrase, ‘Don’t think about pink elephants?’ Once confronted with a vivid idea, most people find it extremely difficult not to think about it. Just take what you have sensed from me as a compliment and let’s move on. I apologize for thinking it.”

“Do not apologize. I find it fascinating either of us would consider the possibility of mating with someone who is not from our world. I did not anticipate this kind of curiosity. But, now that you mention it, we once had creatures like pink elephants on my world. We called them, in as close as I can come in your language, proborithia. It is almost impossible to stop thinking about them. The only way is to change the subject.”

“You called them proborithia? Are they extinct?” Mark was glad the subject of the conversation had changed.

“Yes.”

“Too bad. I would have liked to see one.”

“I would have liked to show you one.”

Mark sighed and changed the direction of the conversation, “Well, I figure if you wanted to enslave me or kill me, you would have done it by now.”

“How do you know you are not my slave?” Alix inquired.

“Alright…now I know you have a sense of humor…right?”

Alix assumed a placid expression and remained silent.

“I give up. Any suggestions about where to hide out?”

“It is your planet, Mark. But, since you asked, I would suggest a place where you are not known by anyone. I also advise destroying your smart phone.”

“Alright.” Mark slowed down and tossed his phone under the rear wheel. “Back to the big question: Why me?”

“Since I am not authorized to make you my slave…”

“What!?”

“See, I can make a joke. I selected you out of 1000 other possible emissaries for several reasons. One is because you are an ordinary citizen, not a part of the military, a celebrity,  or a politician. Another is you were a professor of music, not religion or social sciences, and therefore less bound to ideological views. And you are what I remember your species calls a polymath, one who has developed a working understanding of many fields, therefore having few intellectual biases and an open mind. You are also among those freest from religious dogma and superstition; although you adhere to a faith in a higher power, you remain open to the wonders of the universe itself. You are likely to consider a variety of points of view. Your mind is relatively clear, but complicated and conflicted. Further, your profile indicates a compelling desire to be of help to others, so much so that you often feel the need to curb that desire for the sake of your sanity. These attributes make you a suitable candidate.”

“Wow…I can hardly believe you know so much about me, and I’m not sure it’s all accurate…but how do you know these things?”

“I do a lot of research. Oh, there is one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“You were the only one of the 1000 alone on a hill in a remote location two nights ago.”

“Hmm…thanks for the…umm…compliment,” Mark said a little sarcastically. “Just when you had me feeling pretty good about my life, you tell me it’s as much about luck as it is about qualifications.”

“Not really. One of your famous scientists once said, ‘Fortune favors the prepared mind.’ Everything in life involves some combination of preparedness and opportunity. When you were ready, I came to Earth.”

Humbled, Mark replied, “I will try to make the most of the opportunity and help you as much as I can.”

“That is all I can ask.”

5

Mark racked his brain. Where could they go where nobody knew him, somewhere not in any obvious directional relationship with home, as well as far away from the trail, in as short a time as possible, accompanied by a visitor from another world who, to say the least, did not look like she was from around here? Meeting all these conditions would be difficult. He needed help.

Alix sensed his frustration and anxiety.

“If you want to leave me now, I will not think less of you,” she said. “And what were you thinking about your son?”

“I will not walk away now. You would need to find one of the other 999 possibilities spread out around this planet under the severe handicap of being left alone close to your pursuers, who might be able to locate your spaceship if you tried to locate another…Emissary. I will not have you captured…or worse.”

Mark now felt as certain about this as he had ever felt about anything in his life. He felt new resolve. Her mission had become his mission.

Mark continued, “My son is very bright. He is a lawyer, and like me, open to the opportunity of meeting someone from another world. More importantly, we can trust him. He could help us formulate a strategy. Did I mention he is a life-long gamer – one who has mastered game theory? We probably need someone like him right now.”

“Then you need to contact him…by some means that cannot be traced.” Alix had just tested Mark’s resolve and he had passed her test.

“We have what we call burner phones, prepaid phones with numbers that are difficult to trace, especially if you use them on a limited basis.”

“Even though it is deceptive, a ‘burner phone’ would seem to be our best option. At this time, I am not sure your military cannot detect my communication technology. Strategically speaking, we may have to use it as a last resort.”

“OK, I’ll stop as soon as I can and buy a burner phone. In the meantime, I’ll drive in a direction other than directly towards home.”

6

“We have an address, and the key fob matches the vehicle and plate number in the photo,” said Stan.

“Put out a BOLO for the car. Inform the media in this state and surrounding states. Provide a description of the car and include the photo and the license plate number. Make sure to put out the story that the two occupants are suspected of terrorism. Instruct everyone not to approach, but to report their location to 911. We’ll catch up to them.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll see to everything right away.”

“By the way, do we have a team watching the home address?”

“Yes, and we are monitoring the wife’s cellphone activity.”

“Good. Don’t contact the wife. We want her to find out about her terrorist husband through the media. That should scare the hell out of her. She might be useful later.”

7

They drove in silence for a while, Mark sticking to back roads, and Alix thinking about what to do next. Mark suddenly spoke up.

“I hate to say this, but what if they know my license plate number? I’ve seen enough spy movies to suspect they have ways of getting this information. I did have to register to be out on the trail, after all.”

“Stop your automobile and remove the license plate.”

“What good will that do? Every car must have a plate, or the driver will be arrested.”

She said nothing.

Mark stopped the car, removed the license plate, and handed it to Alix, who reached into her backpack and took out a silver-bronze brick a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. She passed it over the surface of the plate as if she was scanning it. The numbers and letters transposed, anagram-style, to a new plate number. “Put this back on the vehicle.”

“I thought your people didn’t lie,” Mark stated incredulously.

“Is it a lie if I use all the same numbers and letters? The basic information remains, just in a different order…”

“and the interpretation is up to the observer,” Mark finished her sentence. “Be careful, you might become like us.”

“Now we need to purchase a burner phone,” Alix stated as she got back in the car.

“Yes, Ma’am!” Mark replied, astonished by the technology he had just witnessed.

8

The Walmart where they stopped was pretty much like every other Walmart. However, Mark and Alix did not fit the description of the typical Walmart shopper. This little shopping trip had the potential for complete disaster, but then again, they were just as likely to go unnoticed. They were quite a pair: he had not shaved in several days and smelled exactly as one would expect someone who had been hiking for that length of time to smell. Alix wore loose-fitting men’s clothing and a baseball cap to cover her bald head. Mark planned to pass her off as a cancer patient if anyone asked. Luckily, the store was not crowded.

“Now, what we need is a change of clothes for both of us and a burner phone. Try to fit in. We have an old expression, When in Rome…”

“Do as the Romans do,” she countered.

“I see you have done your homework.”

They headed straight for the women’s clothing area, while Mark explained the process of trying on clothing.

“A fitting room will not be necessary,” Alix remarked.

“Well, you can’t just try on clothing the way you did last night.”

“Do not be concerned, there is a better way.” She touched a few symbols on her wristband. “According to the scans, these should do.”

She quickly selected a basic outfit, including a new forest-green hoodie.

“Just wait until Jeff Bezos finds out about this tech.”

“Who is Jeff Bezos?”

“Never mind.”

Minutes later, they were at the checkout. So far, without incident. Fortunately, Mark had enough cash to cover the clothes and a cheap phone.

The clerk asked, “What happened to your hair, honey?”

“My daughter is having chemotherapy,” Mark interjected.

“Oh, I’m awful sorry to hear that. I’ll pray for you honey,” the woman answered, “What’s your name?”

“Ali…Alice,” Mark replied.

“Well, Alice, if you want a wig, my cousin runs a little dress shop about 5 miles down the road. Her name is Lilly, and I’m sure she’ll make you a good deal. She has a girl about your age.”

“Thanks, Julie. We’ll look into it.”

“OK, God Bless!”

“You told three lies,” Alix whispered to Mark as they walked out the door, “and so easily too. Do you lie often?”

“On this planet, everybody lies. This is why you can’t be too careful. Every day…lies large and small color our perception of reality. I wish my species could outgrow the need for the comforts of deception, but as you can tell, the woman, Julie, was truly concerned about your well-being. I suppose you could say under all the little lies there is something real. The big lies are a different story. Sometimes they’re told without any concern about how they will affect other people. Just be very careful.”

“I find some comfort in the idea you are willing to lie on my behalf.”

Just then a couple of guys in a pickup truck stopped them as they reached their car.

“I think these are the terrorists, Jerry.” Look, an older white guy and a sand monkey girl,” said one to the other.

“What are you talking about?” Mark demanded, trying to resist his impulse to punch the guy in the nose.

“Yeah, Dave, I saw a picture of this car on TV this mornin’ and…”

“Are you sure?” asked Mark.

“It sure looks like it. And that (pointing to Alix) looks like the terrorist in the picture,” said Dave.

“I think you’re mistaken,” Mark said as calmly as he could.

“Well, you two just stay right where you are. Jerry, call 911,” said Dave.

“We need to go,” Alix said quietly.”

“I never heard a voice like that before,” said Jerry.

Up until this moment, it hadn’t occurred to Mark that the tone of Alix’s voice was different from any human voice he had ever heard. He thought it was very pleasant, even musical, and by now was accustomed to hearing it…but it never crossed his mind her intonation might disturb others on first hearing. Mark took a step towards the car.

“Just stay put,” Dave demanded.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Dave.” Mark deadpanned his best HAL 9000 impression.

“Can’t or won’t, smartass?” Dave took a couple of steps towards Mark.

Alix quickly triggered a few symbols on her wristband and the two men dropped to the ground, seemingly unable to lift their bodies.

“What the fuck?” both wheezed out.

“We must go,” Alix turned to Mark. “I set up a small gravitational anomaly to keep them from attacking us. As soon as we leave the effect will dissipate. We must go…now.”

As they drove off, Mark asked, “So, are you interested in a wig?”

“While it might be a clever idea from your point-of-view, it is still deception.”

“Even if all the basic information is still there?”

“Perhaps you are right. Being on your planet has put me in a perpetual grey area as far as the field of ethics is concerned.”

Shortly they were at the little shop, and Lilly was very helpful, as Julie would say, ‘sweet.’ She wished them good luck with the chemotherapy, and they left without incident.

Just after she saw the last of their taillights, Lilly got a call. “Hi, Lilly. This is Julie. Whatever you do, if they come to your shop, don’t take any chances with a pair that looks like a middle-aged father and a bald, skinny daughter in a hoodie. They’re terrorists, and they beat up a couple of guys in the Walmart parking lot.”

“Oh my God! They just left. Going south. I wish I’d known.”

“It’s OK, Lilly. I’m just glad you’re alright.”

“They were so friendly. They didn’t seem like terrorists.”

“Well, the police chief says they are. Do you know where they’re going?”

“They didn’t say. They sure seemed awful nice.”

“Ya never can tell…Bye, Lilly”

“Bye now, Julie”

As soon as he heard about the Walmart incident, the Colonel called for a helicopter.

9

“We need to ditch this car,” Mark blurted out at length. Whoever is following us knows about the car and has sent out a photo of us. If they can spread the news that we’re terrorists, they probably have military or federal law enforcement clout.

“You live on a suspicious and deceptive world. Perhaps I have made a mistake in coming here.”

“Maybe you did, but now my problem…our problem…is to keep you safe.”

“And there is too much at stake for us to give up now,” Alix added.

Mark turned off on a side road and drove the car into a thicket. As they clambered out, he sighed, “Look, you can still escape practically anytime you want. All you need to do is unpack your ship and fly away. Your secret will be safe with me. Maybe you and your people should cut your losses here before it’s too late.”

Alix explained firmly, “I cannot abandon my mission. We must do whatever we can to establish contact with someone on your planet who is prepared to listen and learn and is able to influence others. If I do not complete my mission, my people are concerned your people will not have much time left. You must realize your extinction is a strong possibility unless…”

“Unless something or someone,” he said looking straight at Alix, “can shake us out of our state of denial. So, you are doing this for us as much as your own species?”

“Yes. You will learn more in due time.”

“You already said that.” Mark changed the subject, “I’ll bet you never hitchhiked before.”

“You might be surprised. Some of my people are galactic hitchhikers.”

“Well, it’s my turn to be surprised,” he paused. “I think now might be an appropriate time to call my son.”

He called Andrew’s office number. “Hello, Andrew. I’m glad I got through to you. I’m officially hiring you as my lawyer. I can’t talk long. If I call your cell from this number in the next couple of days, please pick up. And please call your mom and tell her I’m alright. I’m not a terrorist, and I’ll explain everything soon.”

Mark quickly recounted the essential points of the story so far. Andrew had already heard about the “terrorists” being hunted in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, but had no idea one of them was supposed to be his dad. Alix heard Mark reassuring Andrew, “Yes, I’m sure, this is no joke.” He ended the call asking Andrew what he thought he should do.

“Well, we now have attorney-client privilege on our side, at least. Call me on my cell in about an hour. I’ll call Elizabeth and we’ll try to think of something.”

Mark and Alix washed their faces in a nearby stream, changed clothes, and walked back to the main road. They hiked for a couple of miles before a friendly trucker slowed to pick them up; an aging college professor, who by the way did not seem quite as old as he was a week earlier, and a willowy brunette with exotic features, to say the least. As luck would have it, the truck was a transport carrying several new automobiles.

As the truck approached, Mark turned to Alix, “Normally, I wouldn’t even think of doing this, but we need to steal one of those cars. Is there any way you could disable the truck and make it possible for us to drive away?”

“I have a better idea. We should ride in this vehicle to the nearest town, where I can purchase an automobile.”

“Do you have money? How can you buy a car?”

“It is my understanding in electronic transactions an account must appear to have sufficient funds.”

“Wait…now you are willing to practice deception?”

“As one of your philosophers has said, deception is a slippery slope.”

“Let’s not slide too far, my friend.”

“So, are we friends?”

“I suppose we are,” Mark replied as he opened the truck cab door for Alix.

The trucker either hadn’t heard about the “terrorist” couple or couldn’t put two and two together. He dropped them off in the next town where they were able to walk to the local used car lot. After a brief discussion about which car was the ‘best-on-the-lot,’ they agreed to the price. The car salesman was obviously more interested in making a big sale than who was doing the buying.

“Will an immediate wire transfer do?” asked Mark.

“Of course, it will, Sir!”

“Well, my kid is really good with computers. Just take her to your computer, give her your number, and soon you will see the amount show up in your account.”

The salesman complied. Alix tapped a few symbols, entered the account number, and in a few seconds, the amount showed up in his account.

“I wish everybody could do it like that! It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, sir! And I do hope to see you again sometime, Sweetie.”

As they drove off the lot, Alix inquired, “Do you not think my plan was better than your plan?”

“Yes, but it is still theft, or rather fraud.”

“It will be fraud if we never re-pay an entity called, Chase Bank.”

10

“It’s been over an hour. Time to call Andrew,” Mark took out the phone and dialed Andrew’s cell.

“Any ideas?”

“Just one. You know Gen-Con is in three days.”

“What does that have to do with Alix and me?”

“Well, first, if you can get her here, and that’s a big if, she can blend in with all the cosplay characters. Second, we can meet and develop further strategy. And third, there is no larger collection of people in the world who really want to meet an extra-terrestrial and might be sympathetic to helping her. Maybe there would be safety in numbers, and maybe as a ‘Hail Mary,’ she could announce her presence in a positive international spotlight. If worst comes to worst, your lawyer will be there.”

“It’s a risk, to be sure, but as usual, you’ve made good points. I’ll call you later.”

“We have a lot to talk about,” Mark turned to share the conversation with Alix.

—–

“We just spotted the car,” the pilot radioed the Colonel, who by now was interviewing the staff at the Walmart. “No sign of the occupants.”

“Keep searching. Stan, any word from the dress shop?” 

“Not yet, Sir.”

“Well, let me know the moment you hear anything.”

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