Part One

Wires are sparking.
Centrifugal computer fans are humming.
The lights flicker.
A General Electric fridge begins to click.

A deep snore breaks the symphony.

Hugh Hobart lies on his back deep into his sunken mattress, across from a massive computer and screen system, wires tickling his feet. With each breathy snore, his chest raises, and the waft of sweat heaves off of his stained white beater.

He was used to sleeping soundly while his systems operated, scanning the atmosphere for congruent themes and cycling through cryptic files hidden away in CIA computers. Hugh had read just about everything ever documented by the CIA, but he knew he was close to finding something worth revealing to the public. So, he runs his systems day in and day out, hoping for that beep and whir of the scans coming back for something to wake up for.

He wasn’t sure what his plan would be after finding critical information. Part of him had always hoped that there was someone out there with the same advanced technology as him, looking for the same thing, so that maybe they could discover it together, and people would believe them. But, as years of research and work had passed by, tons of online forums, and several encounters with the local Consumerism Corner Police Department, Hugh was becoming more and more aware that finding the key was his sole purpose, and his purpose alone. He knew the United States military forces were hiding something. He knew, he could feel it, miles away in his deep slumber, he knew.

Rough waves rustled below the edge of The Plateau. A sea of teal, magenta, and blues tangled, and collided, creating iridescent washes upon the shoreline. Coral-pink skies surrounded him, the suns were beginning to set on the horizon. It was nothing special to him anymore. He’s seen it for over 126 years. His activation date was just around the corner, but it didn’t mean much to him anymore.

He stepped forward, kicking up some small pebbles over the cliff, and tried to take it all in again as he did before the accident. He breathed in, deeply, held it, shut his visual receptors, tensed, braced his chest, and then let it all go, sighing into the vibrant abyss.

He was ready. He turned around swiftly, facing the site he had moved into when he was old enough to assimilate out of the Left Mountain. It was a small property made from mud and intermediate technology. The same small shrubs remained from his childhood, like little cellulose cups of greens, whites, and browns. He looked down at them with a nostalgic remembrance of how times used to be.

His neighbors continued their routine, 2 outside, a few inside, probably working on their production goals for the month. He knew it was time to get back into the swing of things, he didn’t plan on venturing out socially beyond his neighborhood for a while, but he thought it would be nice to get back into his house, maybe clean things up a bit, just in case. Visitors had stopped coming by to check in and provide their condolences for quite some time at this point, but he just felt like he should still be prepared.

The night went on, he spent the rest of the night inside, distracting himself with little projects, moving around some of his decorations, and freshening up the vibes of his place. By sunset, he had begun to forget his sorrow. He was feeling lighter, still tainted, but freer. He laid in his bed, the hum of the entertainer glowing and flashing, and began to still his mind. His visual receptors closed. His energy field began to tame itself. His blue hue faded to a dim periwinkle.

Asleep.

knock knock knock

Awake.

Immediate dread. He lit up, but his energy field stayed low. He remembered everything. But he still did not know what was on the other side of the door.

Mosing over to the door, the knocks ensued again. He rested his head on the door, hesitating to open it. Sigh.

“Are you home tonight?” A quiet voice asked. Wait, that voice sounds familiar, it sounds like…hers.”

He opened the door, not ready to see who it was, his visual receptors shrunk, nearly closing, at the guest’s blue glow.

“I know it’s late, but it took a long time to get here… we were coming from P.13X1NTN… is it too late?”

13X1NTN? That’s familiar…

“Oh I’m sorry, I forgot we’ve never met before, it’s just we’ve met so many others at this point it’s hard to keep track of who is from where, I’m sorry dear, we are Her parents,” she said. Another glowing figure stepped out from behind her, their glows dimmed as they became unlayered.

He stood in awe.

“May we come in?” asked the presumed-to-be partner.

“Oh hello, yes, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you knew who I was, oh wait, I meant, yes, please come in!” He scrambled back, stepping aside and welcoming the pair into his home.

The group shuffled into his residence, making their way into the living quarters, and sat down in unison.

The mother spoke first.

“Hello, again, we are so sorry that we are late, we’re travelers as She probably told you, I mean I would imagine you know, considering the accident and everything, I’m sure it was her idea to visit out there by the Ice Planets in the first place, I mean you know Her, she has always been like that, and we know Her again, because we’re her parents, and naturally she learned it from us, so really we’re sorry we got you dragged into this—”

Her partner cut her off, “Honey, it’s okay, slow down.” He rested his hand on his partner and looked up. “I am the husband, also Her father. We are travelers, and we know She was too, and we know She was behind the wheel when the accident happened. So, what we’re trying to say is that we are sorry and that we would like to provide you with compensation. On our daughter’s behalf. I mean the accident must have messed things up for you.”

Without missing a beat, he responded.

“No.”

“What do you mean?” asked the wife.

“I said no. I do not want your compensation.”

“Well the accident dear, it’s really our daughters fault,” the husband quipped.

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

Everyone was tense.

“I chose to go with her, She did nothing wrong! Why would you compensate me?”

“But dear,” the wife said, “She ruined your life?”

He felt everything now, everything was coming back. He began to glow brighter and brighter, his energy field rising. He was absolutely dumbfounded by the lack of sympathy for their own daughter. They think She ruined his life? No! That was the love of his life. None of this was Her fault! How could they be so cold? The thoughts were swarming in his head, it was becoming too much. He was kinetic.

His energy rose high. Then he remembered. He closed his visual receptors. He breathed in, deeply, and held it. Tensed. Braced his chest. Then let it all go.

He spoke calmly now, lowering his vibrations. “Okay, that is fine. But I don’t want money. I want a ship.”

“A ship?! That’s ridiculous! You could afford one of those, easy! Please, take something of more value–”

“Yes. I want a ship. I want to travel. That is all I will accept. You are in my home, afterall. I am not interested in materialism like everyone else on this planet. ” His words were pointed this time.

The beings looked at each other, and seemed to be telepathically communicating, obviously trying to read each other’s perception of the situation and come to a mental agreement before making an offer.

“Fine.” The husband said. “But you have to come with us. Tonight. And we will get you that ship.”

Everyone agreed, and began to gather their things for the night flight.

The alien bunch arrived on a nearby moon, a moon with moderate light at all times and rough soil that was good for mining for various metals and ship components. The group landed close to a gated facility, one with a decent sized parking lot and many other patron vehicles parked. The Alien had only ever been to this moon once, for a training camp on mining when he was growing up, and as far as he was concerned this territory was mainly reserved for P.J3N5N residents of a higher class.

The group approached the gates where an atomic energy scanner recognized the couple, and let them into the facility. Soon the group approached their unit. The garage door lifted, revealing a vast collection of ships, rockets, spare parts, and tech. The Alien always knew that Her family had wealth but it wasn’t until this moment that he was truly faced with it.

The Alien wandered his eyes up and down the walls, taking everything in, when the husband spoke, “Are you familiar with this model?”

He flashed his palm over to a simple ship, something of common place amongst most extraterrestrial societies.

“Yes of course, that model is what I was trained on.”

“Then it shall do the job. But first, we must discuss where you will be traveling, as we already feel responsible for the Ice Planet incident, we would like to further prevent such an event,” said the husband. It was clear that he was serious, but The Alien didn’t quite care to entertain this conversation.

“Sure,” he spoke, “But I will go where I please.”

“Sure,” quipped the wife, “But you will only go where our existence is known.”