10 April, 2000

Reluctant Warrior

by : The MOUSE………………

A woman sat on the porch of her wooden home enjoying the mild night air. This was her refuge away from day to day life, a place where she escaped the world. That was the reason she had chosen to build her home so far into the wilds of California. Nothing but trees and wilderness surrounded her home. She sighed a pleased smile and looked up the stars. It was a beautiful night.

A loud rumbling filled the air to a deafening crescendo, culminating to a huge fireball flying low over her home. She watched it in shock until she heard the tell tale sound of a crash. Curiosity getting the better of her fear, she ran for the crash site. After all, if this was a meteor, maybe she could get some extra money from selling it to a collector or scientist. She ran through the woods she was so familiar with, until she saw the hot glow of an object cooling from atmospheric entry. The heat was incredible as she got closer. Debris and fallen trees from the crash were strewn and burnt all along a lengthy ditch carved into the ground. It ran for several hundred meters before ending in a strange metal structure. It was small, fairly boxy. The object kind of reminded her of the shuttlecrafts portrayed in the Star Trek series. It glowed red hot, getting dimmer the more it cooled. She approached it as close as she could with the intense heat radiating from its hull. A door or panel fell open against one of this ship's sides, a being dressed in a kind of space suit falling out of it. The being dragged itself away from the hot ship towards the woman, grasping towards her in supplication before collapsing at her feet.

"Help me." came the gasping words from behind the opaque looking helmet.

The woman paused in fear, but then a wave of compassion invaded her. Whoever this being was needed help. He was far from home, no doubt, and wouldn't survive long if anyone else found him. Swallowing her fear she slipped her hands under this humanoid's shoulders and began to drag him away from the ship. With some difficulty she managed to get him back to her house and got him inside.

"Chances are I'm not the only one who saw your ship crash. They won't be as kind as I'm trying to be." she told him.

"Hide me." he pleaded.

She sighed. "Right, c'mon." and she hauled him to his feet, helping him stagger towards the cellar.

They descended into the darkness, fumbling around for the walls and other objects. Her hand connected with a mattress and she pulled it down flat, carefully easing the injured visitor onto it.

"It's not the Plaza Hotel, but you should be safe here."

She pulled out a flashlight to be able to see and properly check the blocked off windows, then turned back to her ward.

"If you hear other voices here later, do NOT make a sound. Just rest, I'll be back soon." Just as she shut fast the cellar door there came a knock at the house's front door. Here we go, she thought, her heart racing. She waited until they knocked four more times, then went to the door and opened it. Very military type individuals stood there now. She feigned sleep. "Do you morons have any idea what time it is?" she snapped at them.

"Sorry, m'ame." one apologized. "Were you aware of that an object crashed not far from here?"

"The only thing I was aware of was you, Woody Woodpecker, knocking on my door. I had a rough day and my vacation started today so I'd appreciate it if you let me go back to bed."

"We're very sorry, m'ame, but we have to follow procedures. May we have a look around?"

"Not without a search warrant you can't. This is private property and right now I don't care if you're holy beings. Get off my land and let me get back to my much needed vacation."

"May we just get your name, m'ame, for the records."

"Miss Areal Liangelo. You done?"