Inside the transferring chamber, Haĝiēn lifted his head and nodded at Qûarzar giving the okay for her to transport him to Earth. The suit's purpose was to protect his skin from the heat when entering the atmosphere. Later, he would engage with the uniform and decide what color he thought she would like best.

"Are you ready?"

"I am." 

The word ready wasn't close to how prepared he believed to be.

Never had he felt more excited and able to leave the comfort of the spacecraft to enter a planet. A planet he had been dreaming about exploring for many human years. And now, even more, thanks to the discovery of his curious human. The one he'd been interacting with for days. 

"I wish you safe journeys, Haĝiēn. Register everything you encounter and I will extract it from your brain when you arrive. Also, this compartment," she pointed at a hefty pocket on his chest, "will preserve many samples you collect safely."

Haĝiēn nodded. 

"Are you sure you don't want to advise the General about our first Psychokinetic transfer?"

"I absolutely am. This is an experiment between you and me to make sure we will be successful with the ones that follow. The official ones."

With a pursed-lip, Qûarzar's head swayed from side to side and her greenish luster wavered. "I'm not as sure as you. What if something happens down there and the Captain hears about it?"

"You doubt my abilities?" He smiled. "I'll be fine. I'm prepared. What do you think could happen?"

"No," she said with a straight face. "I don't doubt your abilities, Haĝiēn. It is not your arrival I'm concerned about. It is more concerning to me once you are there. What if a human realizes you are not human? What if they fear you or attempt to trap, or hurt you?"

"What?!" His mouth dropped, "I can look like a human."

Qûarzar eyes studied the lines of his body up and down in silence.

"I can. Look at me. Look at the clothing I'm wearing, huh?"

"I-I am."

"Who's not telling the truth now, Qûarzar? Do I not look human?"

She gave a nervous laugh. "Al-almost," She pushed the words out in two breaths.

He scrunched his brow.

"What about now?"

The alabaster glow left his body and the soft-gold of his skin was replaced by light-pigmented skin. His eyes, although larger than the average humans, could easily deceive earthlings, his nose, chin, and cheeks were exquisitely carved and his lips were thin. His tall body gracefully stood in the center of the room, naked and correct of all human anatomy.

"Very earthlike, Haĝiēn. Except for your hands, I would believe you are one of them."

Haĝiēn glowed.

"Er, not at this moment but before. When you weren't shining."

"Oh yes. I need to control that. I am not quite good at it yet."

"That's partly why I am concerned. I don't believe you are ready."

"We must. And tonight is the night."

"If you say so, you are in charge."

"Yes, I am ... So, what's wrong with my hands?"

~O~

The rapid pumps of his hearts resonated between the ears, and he paused his stride to calm himself. Lifting his head, he sought the energy of the moon and inhaled filling his lungs to their max capacity, and he held his breath until the count of ten. The soft breeze caressed his face and a smile played at his lips while he watched hundreds of buzzing bugs swarm around him.

The insects lost interest in him and allowed the wind to carry their minuscule bodies down the greenbelt once he turned off the light his body produced. Haĝiēn circled his fingers around several of them that were in mid-flight, grabbing a few and placed them inside the safety of his suit's pocket, along with different types of leaves he scrunched with his feet and a sample of soil.

In the distance, the shape of her and her mammal. It trotted from pasture to pasture littering its contents on what seemed to be every square inch it traveled. But she, she tilted her head and looked up into the distance of the stars. The voluminous amount of hair on her head moved above her head and around her face and his breath caught somewhere in his chest. 

He began to glow again. He understood he should tone it down but he was much too excited to do so.

Unable to stop the smile that spread over his face, he advanced towards her at a fast pace. As he drew near, he noticed her face wasn't as inviting as it had been through the monitors of his ship. Her expression was one of confusion and doubt. In a matter of seconds, she was screaming at her pet and running from him. She gave him no other option than to stop her. 

This could not be the way their first encounter should be, and why is she screaming?

"Stop!" she said and he did. "Syd--Sydney! Come. N O W."

He turned his eyes to it. Hi, little one. Don't be afraid. I want to meet you.

The animal panted and leaped towards him. He bent at the waist to reach its skin. His fingers shuffled through its coat. The texture was soft and calming and it acted as if it knew him and contently wagged its appendage.

"Smooth. I--Ha-ha!" He loved the feel of it and he did not want to stop touching it. He couldn't.

She laughed and a glimpse of hope erupted inside of him. Looking at her, and without much thought, he closed his eyes and pushed out a "Hello," in a shaky voice.

She screeched. Loudly. He thought his eardrums burst.

"Stop! Stop, now. What are you doing?!" His head shook.

"Aaaaaaah!!" she screeched again ... and again.

He stretched his arm forward and with open palms strived to pacify her.

Be calm. Breath. Please, he begged but it didn't work. His methods weren't working with her and she became more agitated and terrified.

"Did you just speak inside my brain?!" Her hands flared and she swatted at the air in front of her. You didn't move your lips! I'm crazy! I-I am going insane!"

He swayed his head and the light of his body flickered.

"What. The fuck. Are you?!" she said between screams.

"This wasn't the way it was supposed to go," he gulped. "Why are you shouting? I thought you wanted to meet me." His voice was leveled. He wasn't amused. "This is nothing how I planned us to get to know--"

"Planned?! You planned this?! Oh my God, oh my God, oh my god ... I'm gonna die! I'm going to die, aren't I?! You're gonna murder me?! YOU are a murderer!" She pointed at his chest accusatory.

"What?! No, never ... I—"

"Help! Help! Heeeeeeelp!!"

Her feet unglued from the dirt and she woke from the quasi catatonic state she was in. Whirling, she broke into a run. "Sydney! Come!" she commanded between sobs. "Murderer alert! Murderer!"

The animal lollygagged behind her but before the human reached the door, he was able to stop her.

"This is not right. How am I to get to know you if you act, umm, unbalanced? This ... is not going to work," he sighed. "We need to do this again. Once more."

Closing his eyes, he lifted his head, opened his arms wide at his sides, and elevated his palms towards the sky. The light inside him sifted through his pores and his body radiated surrounded by it. 

Sleep, he commanded. Settle down and sleep ...

~O~

He could do this. He had to. If he failed at meeting humans, although he technically wasn't allowed to yet, then he might as well call it a failed mission ... That was not something he was willing to do. However, he wanted her to accept him without manipulating the final outcome so Haĝiēn was ready to try one more time.

"You will erase our first encounter from your brain. We have never met. Once I am out of this ... what would a human call this?" He thought for a minute. "This human personal outside space and out that door," he pointed at the fence, "You will walk out with your friendly animal--" he shook his head, "I can't believe your mammal was friendlier than you."

He picked the dog up with both hands and caressed its fur while his eyes studied her face.

"Ahhh." He placed the dog back on its feet. "You will think you are taking your dog out for the first time." 

His eyes scanned the length of her once more. "You are beautiful." He hung his head and walked away.

~O~

"Come on, Sydney." 

Sydney zipped past her and out towards the greenbelt. She squatted and tinkled but for a few seconds.

"Hmm. You didn't really need to go, did you, girl?" Bree's eyes lifted and her heart sunk when the light she had grown accustomed to seeing was not there.

"Tsk. Nowhere in sight. Sydney! Come! Where are you--? Oh?"

In the distance, a single stranger walking towards her. He wore a rubber looking suite with golden tones. It reminded her of disco balls and music from 1970s movies. 

"Ha-ha!" She covered her mouth to cover her simper. "Sorry, Sir. I have no idea what's gotten into her. She doesn't usually--"

She stopped in her tracks. His eyes were deep and dark and she saw herself in them.

"What the fuck? Stop!" She held out her hand with her palm out. "Do not come any closer." She warned. "Syd?"

But her dog danced at his feet and he petted her ... with his four, lengthy fingers.

"Oh my! I'm sorry. Are you a Vet?" She said apologetically looking from his fingers to his face.

"Am I a what?"

"Military?"

"I don't understand your question."

"Are you--did you serve in the Army?"

"No?"

"You're not sure if you did?"

They stood twenty feet away and she noticed the man was not acting right. He didn't look right and the feeling in her gut was not right.

"No?"

"Nevermind ... Nothing. Sydney, come. Now!" She clicked her fingers and the dog turned its head and obeyed.

"Good-good night, Sir."

"Wait!"

But it was too late. She had started running back into her backyard.

"Stop!" he commanded confused. "Turn."

She did.

What am I doing wrong?

"Did you? Did you just speak to me in my head?!"

No.

This time he didn't have to interfere. She fainted all by herself.

~O~

"You are so weird, Sydney. I thought you were in a rush to pee?"

The dog lazily strutted next to her. She pushed the gate open.

"Wow, really? You're not going to trip me before I'm done opening this gate? What is wrong with you today?"

The dog stood at her feet looking at her.

"Really? Nothing?" Bree shook her head and opened her arms then let them fall at her sides with a smack. "Well, you better do your business."

Sydney's tail wags at something in the distance. A person. They wore a rubber suit with hints of white similar to a jogging tracksuit except tight.

Ew.

It looked to be reflective.

Smart, she thought.

"Stay, Syd." She said under her breath. "Hmm," she warned. 

Sydney whimpered but didn't move from her spot.

"Good girl!"

"Hi!" He lifted his hand in the distance.

"Hello?"

"What are you called?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your name. What is it?"

"Um. I gotta go." She pointed behind her.

Damn it! Now he knows where I live.

"Around the block. Where I live."

Damn it! Why was she speaking to him?

"Wait! Don't"

"Damn it! I'll call the police! I have my phone with me!"

She bolted and he rolled his eyes.

~O~

"What the fuck is that?!" 

The orb got closer and closer. She shielded her face. It was warm and gleamed bright gold.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!! It was aliens after all!

Tears ran down her cheeks.

They were here and they were invading her neighborhood.

"Help!"

~O~

For hours he had been going back and forth with her. Coaching her to react differently but each time he attempted to reach her, it was worse.

He was exhausted. He was sure she was too. And all that erasing could not be good for her brain.

One more, Haĝiēn. One more attempt and be done with it.

It wasn't all unsuccessful. Every time he walked down the green path he collected new samples to take with him. 

Qûarzar would be proud of him.

Taking a breath he walked towards what he now knew to be her home, in her neighborhood on the greenbelt with her pet dog.

See, Haĝiēn? Not completely unsuccessful.

However, he still did not know what she was called. Not once had he been able to get her name out of her. He didn't think the task would be as difficult as it proved to be.

"Haĝiēn, come in."

Qûarzar 's voice came in clear through his vest.

Qûarzar, I'm here.

"Any plans on coming back up here sometime before daybreak?"

He smiled.

Soon.

"Succesful venture, then?"

"Very," he voiced.

"Ahh, there you go not telling the truth again, Haĝiēn. When will you learn you can't lie to me."

"Haha! Soon I hope. How could you tell?"

"Your voice wavered."

"Fuck."

"What did you say?"

"It's a new word. Fuck. I learned it from a human."

"First of all, Haĝiēn. You weren't supposed to make contact. Second, you weren't supposed to stay this long. What if the General or Captain asked me where you are?"

"I trust you could handle it." He waited. "Qûarzar?"

"What does it mean?"

"I think it's an expression when one is in trouble."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"Was the human in trouble?"

...

"Haĝiēn?"

"No." He said disappointed. "But they thought they were."

"So fuck, huh?"

"Yes."

"You need to come up to the base, fuck."

"What? No. Not like that. You're using it wrong."

"Then come to base and show me how! But you need to come up in the next fifteen to twenty minutes."

"Fine," he said reluctantly. "I have many samples."

"Good. See you in no more than fifteen minutes, Haĝiēn."

He huffed.

"Hi, stranger!" He lifted a hand, his hood fell off his head and his light glowed.

She gave a shrilling scream.

"Fuck," he said.