Aliens!
Well… one alien. Still… Alien!
It finally happened. I was messing around with the wormhole generator…
… when suddenly…
<BERP!> An alien. I guess I expected… I don’t know… something aliener.
“Greetings!”, says I. “Welcome to our planet! My name is Jeanette!”
<ZOINK> His name is Maxwell. I kid you not; Maxwell.
We both thought it was funny. Caitlyn was depressed, the aliens never showed up while she was testing the wormhole, and nobody had ZOINKed her anything. I think she really wants a good ZOINKing.
Max seems like a nice enough chap, for an interstellar visitor. We chatted briefly about governments and parking lots and cows, but he spotted Malcolm eating, and became very interested.
Malcolm tried explaining the concept of duck and marshmallow aspic to the guy… (I think he’s a guy…), but it didn’t quite translate properly.
“… and you actually put this stuff in your … food hole … and your … body converts it to … energy?”
“Energy and poo, yes.”
I wondered if he might be reconsidering his travel plans.
But, he got up and headed over to the lab’s fridge. I did have to quickly steer him away from the lab’s other fridge, the one with all the experiments… or … hold on. I think I sent him… no, I’m sure it’s fine.
In any case, he came away with something vaguely meat… cake … like. He seemed to know exactly where he was going though, and I followed him upstairs to the kitchen.
Where he began talking to the microwave.
Seriously, he was still standing there two hours later, when I left for home.
I meant to ask him if he knew Georgia, but figured that the universe is probably bigger than my home town, and I get asked a lot if I know somebody I’ve never heard of, so what are the chances?
Figures though. New guy comes into town, and the microwave gets a date before I do.
Oh jeez! What about Meagan!? Does that explain her actions and disappearance all this time? She’s actually an … of course she is, why didn’t I see that before. I bet I can get answers from her somehow.
Goddamnit Meagan!
I thought the manager was going to chew her out, but instead he complimented her skin tone, and praised her work ethic. I thought I was going to barf.
But the place was fairly dead. A couple of the usual group, but not the crowd I was expecting. Nobody new.
I was about an hour before anyone else showed up, but even then it wasn’t the throng I’d expected, and none of my friends were anywhere to be seen. But that’s right about when Caitlyn called.
Some of the group at the disco heard as well, and by the time I arrived and met Caitlyn, the place was filling up.
However, it was already getting late, and I hadn’t eaten anything. I knew just what would help me out here, and downed a dose of something we’d been working on. It would keep me going for the rest of the night.
Well. That was surprisingly anti-climactic and underwhelming. I don’t know what I was expecting, never having been ABDUCTED BY ALIENS previously, but I was returned hours later with a distinct loss of memory for the time gone, and a really low Fun level. I kind of expected it to at least be fun.
But no. Now I’m returned home, bereft of both fun AND sleep, none the wiser for having – apparently – been on an alien craft in what I hope was space. It would be really disappointing to find that we only went to Willow Creek or Pleasantville or something.
Huh. Aliens are going to make me late for work. I wonder if they’ll buy that at the lab?
Well, back to work. I’m tired, I’m hungry, and I was ABDUCTED BY ALIENS LAST NIGHT. I don’t know if I should tell anyone. Is this a regular occurrence in Windenburg? Is it just because I’m playing with forces and chemistry that no human should have access to? Was it the basil? Did the robot sell me out? Did Georgia take me out for a late-night … probe … session… without asking?
“Oh the aliens!” says Caitlyn. “No, that happens all the time.”
I tried talking with Meagan about it, but she wasn’t interested. “Nope! No such thing no way NO ALIENS HERE.” I think she’s in denial.
Playing video games on the office computer. I’d finished all my work for the day, and decided to stick around to get some other things sorted out. That hover-lamp, for instance. But maybe some quick gaming while everyone else is up in the lunch room.
Well, that certainly did the trick, I feel refreshed and lighter, and ready to finish up some work at the chem station. I should get back before someone…
Jeez, Meagan. I shut it down just in time, but she certainly likes to sneak around. I’d hate to have my progress with this organization held back because Meagan thinks I was playing video games on the company dime.
If I *had* a table, I’d totally put the lamp on it.
It’s late, and I’m exhausted again. I considered heading over to The Chowder House to have a quick “WHAT THE HELL!?” with Georgia, but it’s already half past nine, and I just want to sleep. I’m hoping that maybe the lamp will help protect me from any further abductions. I’m not exactly certain why, but something about … UFOs… and shapey things…. or …
With Summer’s assistance, I made another sample of SynthFood. And this one….
… worked! It looks like I can create this as viable on a regular basis. This could seriously solve my hunger problems. Heck, it could solve the world’s hunger problems. If I hadn’t signed that stupid proprietary information agreement, I’d market it and make a fortune. Or … you know … solve the world’s hunger problem. Whatever.
…plumbing! I have no roof over my head, nor walls to hold up said roof, but I have a shower of my very own, a sink, and – the best thing ever – a toilet. My own toilet.
We had a great time! The food was good, and came to the table without much delay. We had a few drinks, and some great conversation.
I made a great friend this evening. Yeah, she’s an alien, but I can’t hold that against her, can I? Isn’t my job as a scientist to discover new things, investigate every opportunity with an open mind? We joked and laughed well into the night.
