Mind Meld

Prologue

The old man was sitting in a waiting room with a lone reporter from the Washington Post. Both were waiting for the federal hearing to begin. The hearing was requested by the Interim Authority on Homeland Security to review the August 2018 invasion of Earth and its impact on the security of the citizens of the United States of America. The reporter was there to cover the story. The old man was there to testify. They both wondered why something that happened fifty years ago would still be of interest to government officials.

The reporter had not yet been born at the time of the invasion, and he wondered if the event ever actually happened. He kept stealing glances at the old man, a pretty cool looking old guy, he thought. He knew who the old man was alright. The guy was supposed to be some kind of legend. He looked at his watch. There were still several minutes before the hearing was scheduled to begin.

Hey, he said to the old man. Mind if I ask you a few questions about why you’re here? I’d like to know more about this invasion and what you had to do with it, before we go into the hearing.

The old man turned to face the young man and looked hard into his eyes, sizing him up. "My name is Wolf O’Brian, but I think you already know that. Before I tell you what you want to know, I think you should know who I am. People have a tendency to place others into convenient categories that are often too arbitrary to accurately define the true character of an individual. I am not just an old white man from California named Wolf,. I’m more complicated than that.

"In 2018, I was a retired businessman. Well, that’s not precisely correct. I was retired, and I was a partner in a software company just before I formally declared myself to be retired and began collecting social security. But, the fact is, I have tried my hand at many things during my life, the software business being just one of those endeavors.

"I thought the business I helped create in San Diego would be the thing that finally made me rich. It didn’t seem like an unreasonable expectation. The software business, after all, has created many wealthy people. I was there, in the computer business, from the early days of the computing industry, and it felt like I was in the right place at the right time. Many of the people I watched get rich did so from ideas which weren’t much different from the innovations I brought to my startup company.

"Some of these made-it-big people weren’t only rich, they were what I thought of as stupid-rich. Some were so rich they didn’t know what to do with all their money, so they invented ways to spend it on things that, frankly, I thought were nutty. I once entertained some wealthy dinner guests at our ranch. I considered these guests to be among the wildly successful, stupid-rich software entrepreneurs I secretly envied. During dinner, one couple proudly explained how they were funding a widespread contraception campaign among the remote, indigenous people of the Amazon basin. Good Grief.

"Alas, as it turned out, I did not get rich. When the company was eventually sold, my share amounted to less than five hundred thousand dollars. What made this really frustrating was the fact that some of the Johnny-come-lately investors in my company made more money than I did. A lot more. Though disappointed, I decided my share was enough to finally throw in the towel and retire, to get the hell out of the rat race.

"I didn’t dwell on my disappointment. I didn’t really need a lot of money to be happy. In fact, looking back on my life, I felt pretty damn lucky to have done as well as I had. I can recall a time when all I had in the world was a duffle bag half full of worn out clothes. I’m serious. As I said, I have tried my hand at a lot of things during my life.

"I do have some talent, just not enough to propel me to great success in any one endeavor. I can play the piano, tried my hand as an artist, studied to be a Catholic priest, and I even rode with the Outlaws motorcycle gang, but none of those things look very good on a business resume. I survived the Vietnam War flying combat search and rescue operations, and endured several years as a vagabond, or pirate, as I like to call it. Being a pirate is another bit of background best left off a resume I suppose.

"To my own surprise, as well as many others, I eventually graduated magna cum laude from collage, earning a degree in computer science. I had, what I consider, a very successful career in the computer software industry, traveled the world, and eventually founded my own software business with three partners. I also tried my hand at marriage several times before meeting the love of my life, Chase. I guess the thing about me you need to know is, I have a hard time sitting still.

"After retirement, Chase and I lived on our ranch in Ramona, California, tending to our animals, vineyards, and a winery, which was much less stressful than running a software company. Chase retired from teaching high school art and art history a few months ahead my own retirement. In the early days following our retirement, we were focused on working out the whole retirement thing, neither one of us being quite ready for the proverbial rocking chair. Before I retired, people often told me I ought to write a book about my life, so I did, and that kept me occupied for a while.

"Then, at that point in my life, I thought it was reasonable to presume I would begin my relatively boring golden years, you know, the part of life where I would take up gardening or something. Instead, a most remarkable thing happened, an event that would change our lives forever.

"For several months, before and after retirement, a faint, nearly subsonic sound began to make itself apparent in the canyon where our ranch is located. At first, the sound was relatively easy to ignore, but over time it seemed to bore its way into my consciousness. Others who lived in or visited the canyon could sometimes hear it, including Chase, but not everybody. It was elusive. Eventually, though, the sound became so insistent it compelled me to try to find the source.

"What I discovered was beyond belief. A large crack in the mountain near the ranch seemed to be causing this subtle humming sound. Upon closer examination, I determined the crack was not anything normally occurring in nature. The space had a strange, fuzzy quality to it. Being the adventurous, impulsive person I am, I was ultimately compelled to pass through the space, whereupon I discovered it was actually a gateway, a portal leading to a very different world, a parallel world.

"I know, I know, the prospect of parallel worlds is generally considered the stuff of science fiction, but, in fact, the field of theoretical physics has produced many parallel world theories. Some interpretations of string theory, such as the brane world models for example, suggest other universes exist right next to ours, but in another dimension. Scientists have considered the possibility of parallel worlds as far back as Isaac Newton. In his book, Opticks, published in 1704, Newton suggests the possibility of a ‘multiverse’. Proponents of multiple parallel worlds include Stephen Hawking, Leonard Susskind, and many other notable scientists and mathematicians.

"Whether or not these parallel worlds actually exist has been the subject of much debate and discussion in the scientific world. I should know. I spent many hours researching this subject after I found the portal. Scores of unexplained accounts of strange occurrences and encounters have been documented throughout human history, which piqued the interest of many, and yet, no scientific proof had ever been discovered, until now. Prehistoric cave paintings found on all continents of our world, ancient religious texts, early folklore, megalithic ruins, and modern accounts of encounters with ‘aliens’ all suggest the possibility of potential human interfaces with other worlds. I figured these encounters could just as reasonably be interpreted as the result of interactions with a parallel world rather than an extraterrestrial visitation. These possibilities helped me to come to grips with my discovery.

"While finding a portal to a parallel world initially challenged my grasp on reality for a time, it did not cause me to seriously question my sanity, at least not for long. On the contrary, I became familiar with the scientific possibility of such a phenomenon, however remote or unlikely. My persistent interest in science fiction literature and films over the years permitted me to quickly adjust my sense of reality to accept this new and extraordinary truth. Because of my life experiences, my inquisitive, impulsive personality, and my open mindedness, I eventually dove into this new adventure with gusto.

"The new world I discovered is called Talbeek. The first time I entered this world, I met an extraordinary creature named Tick. As it turns out, Tick is a citizen of Talbeek, a citizen of some stature and rank, being a member of what is called the Elder Clan. He is also an Overseer, one who manages these rare interdimensional portals. Tick has the additional distinction of being a Masteek, a sort of mystic class of Elders who provide guidance and leadership among their people. Over time, he would become the leader of all the Talbeek people, as well as my very dear friend and mentor in this alien world.

"The sentient beings who inhabit the Talbeek world are humanoid, but look quite different from human beings. At a glance, a human might characterize a Talbeek citizen as looking like the typical alien portrayed in science fiction movies or in the descriptions by people who claim to have been abducted by aliens, although not so exaggerated. Their cranium is slightly elongated. They have large, dark eyes, but not as large as the baseball size eyes in many accounts of alien encounters. They have a flat nose and thin lips. Their skin color is a light gray and appears to be stretched tightly over their typically thin frames. The males and females look androgynous to the unpracticed human eye, but there are distinct differences. They all wear similar clothing consisting of loose pants and a tunic, much the same color as their skin. In my opinion, they are quite attractive, graceful, and exotic.

"Although the Talbeek people are anatomically similar to humans, their race and culture are quite different. Everything in their unique world is connected by a common life force, creating a powerful energy which the Talbeek people have learned to harness. This life force essentially governs their existence. It is this ubiquitous energy which uniquely enables them to devise and control portals to other worlds. They are an intensely inquisitive people, and, consequently, are driven to learn about the adjacent worlds existing beyond the borders of their own dimension.

"Of course, the discovery of another world is quite extraordinary, and I was compelled to immediately share my experience with Chase. Together, we went back through the portal, allowing Chase to see for herself what I had seen. Tick ultimately presented us with a key to this portal, enabling us to open and close it should we decide to visit the Talbeek world. This was quite extraordinary, and we were both overwhelmed by the implications. As I said, we initially struggled with coming to grips with the existence of another world in a parallel dimension right there in our own back yard. It was just too unbelievable, yet there it was. We had been there, taken pictures, and communicated with Tick and his mate, Sen.

"After a great deal of thought, I ultimately decided I would turn down this remarkable opportunity to explore the Talbeek world. I had spent my whole life giving in to my impulsive inclinations, to jump off the many proverbial cliffs I had encountered. I had few regrets, to be sure. My life had been quite interesting, but I was determined to be happy with where I was at that time. I felt the right thing to do was to enjoy life on our beautiful California ranch. I also thought I should just focus on settling into my new retired life, or at least try to figure out what one did in retirement. And so, I promised Chase I would not accept the offer to explore the new alien world.

Despite my well-intentioned resolution, I found myself itching to take another look. I thought about telling Chase, but decided such a discussion would result in her verbally kicking my ass with a barrage of predicable beratements like I knew it and you’ll never settle down" and so on. To my surprise, however, one day out of the blue Chase brought the subject up to me. Apparently she had sensed my restlessness, which she attributed to a subdued yearning to go on this adventure, and, ultimately she gave me a sort of reluctant approval.

"She said, ‘I can’t think of a better person to represent our world in the other worlds out there beyond that portal. I can’t go with you Wolf. I’m not that kind of person, but I want you to go.’ After an initial, half-hearted denial of interest, I jumped on the renewed opportunity.

"So off I went. I spent the next two years in and out of the Talbeek world. Despite her original proclamation of no interest in inter-world exploration, Chase eventually joined me on many occasions. What had once seemed so unbelievable, became almost routine. I got to know Tick quite well, and we exchanged a great deal of information about each other’s worlds. There was so much to learn, and it was all fascinating. I taught Tick to speak English, and was surprised by how quickly he became proficient at it. He actually already knew some English as it turned out. I, on the other hand, struggled with learning the Talbeek language, but then I had never been good at learning any language. So, in charitable consideration, Tick usually spoke English when communicating with me.

"Chase and I kept the existence of the portal a secret, as requested by Tick. It was agreed between us all that the general population of the human race was not ready to deal with the existence of a parallel world, and, more importantly, the governments of the human world could not be trusted to respect the sovereignty and autonomy of another world. Despite the wisdom of this confidentiality, keeping the portal a secret was a difficult thing for me to do.

To be honest, I opaquely revealed my discovery in that book I eventually published. It was presented in my novel as the final, great adventure of my life. Of course, it was assumed by anybody who actually read the book to be an odd, science fiction ending to what was otherwise considered to be the relatively accurate accounting of my life. My youngest brother, Tiger, said he thought the ending of the book was silly. It was essentially his only comment on the book in terms of a review. His evaluation satisfied me that the secret was reasonably secure. I never dreamed that one day Chase and I would have to help save the world, and keeping the secret of the portal would become impossible.

The door of the waiting room opened and a stern-looking man in a dark suit and tie entered the room. The hearing is about to begin. Would you please follow me, Mister O’Brian?

Wolf looked at the young reporter and shrugged his shoulders, a bright smile on his face. If you want to hear the rest of the story, you’ll have to go to this hearing.

1

Unleashed

Captain Walsh stepped out of nowhere from a place about a hundred yards from the Telegraph Pass Trail. This place was set back in a craggy outcrop of large rocks, out of sight from the main trail. He wore a military issue backpack which contained a large ceramic jar filled with a yellowish liquid and a slender metal tube containing precious embryonic lifeforms. There were also instructions, laboriously translated into English, providing detailed information about what to do with these things. He made his way back down to the main trail and headed toward Yuma.

He was not worried about others seeing him. The trail was popular with hikers and moderately traveled. It wasn’t unusual to meet others on the trail. It wasn’t unusual to see people exploring paths off the main trail either. His introduction to the trail occurred several months earlier as part of a Marine physical training exercise, when his whole unit had made the challenging climb to the top of Telegraph Pass. This kind of training exercise was used to keep the Marines in shape and helped to prepare them for inevitable deployments overseas.

It was Wednesday, and he should have already reported for duty at the Marine Corp Air Station at Yuma. He always kept a spare flight suit in the trunk of his car, so he would change into that uniform and drive immediately to his unit, the Black Sheep squadron. He would tell them he had car trouble.

He spent the next week arranging individual meetings with his subordinates, his peers, and the commander of the Marine Aircraft Group 13, to which his attack squadron was attached. A week later, back up on the Telegraph Pass Trail, Captain Walsh discovered he was locked out. He panicked. He needed help. He needed some direction. The wheels of his mission were already in motion.

2

Vicarious Memories

Wolf slowly emerged from a very dark place, a void of consciousness so complete it felt like death. As he regained a tiny foothold on awareness, he thought he might actually be dead. He felt nothing, could see or hear nothing. He had a vague sense he was being evaluated. Perhaps he was indeed at the Gates of Heaven, and Saint Peter, or whoever it is that decides whether or not you get to pass through, was reviewing his life.

Very early memories of his life were rushing before him in vivid detail. He was standing in a room, in the first house he ever lived in as a very young child. His mother and grandma were there on opposites sides of a bassinette containing his new baby brother. It was a warm spring afternoon, and both women were wearing light cotton sundresses. His mother had just removed a soiled cloth diaper from the baby and turned around to place it in a diaper pail. Grandma had turned around at the same moment to retrieve something from a nearby table. He was too small to actually see the baby nestled in the bassinette above, but he had no trouble seeing the stream of urine suddenly shooting up in a perfect arch, terminating on his grandma’s exposed back.

Grandma reacted with a high-pitched screech, Oh, oh, oooooh! His mother quickly turned around to see the final moments of the spectacle. Her hand shot up to her mouth and she burst into laughter. His grandma was frozen in place, hands in the air in a gesture of stunned surprise. His mother quickly recovered herself and rushed over to Grandma’s aid with a clean, dry diaper to mop up the results of his brother’s remarkable feat of marksmanship. His mother burst into another fit of laughter and this time was joined by his grandma. He laughed too, big, gleeful guffaws of laughter. This was the funniest thing he had ever seen in his young life.

He slowly edged into another incremental modicum of consciousness. It seemed odd to him that such a trivial memory would be under review at the Gates of Heaven. More unbidden memories paraded before his mind’s eye. If this was, in fact, Judgement Day, he was doomed when they got to the latter parts of his life. The memories were flowing more quickly now. A thought suddenly flashed through his head, if he was dead he probably wouldn’t be feeling like he was still in his body, but then who knows. He had no prior experience with being dead.

Additional increments of consciousness slowly pulled him out of the abyss, like being pulled out of a thick quagmire of mud. He tried to move his fingers, his hands, anything he could get to move. Nothing. He was pretty sure his eyes were open, but there was total darkness, the kind of darkness only possible in the depths of a cavern where no light of any sort can penetrate. Suddenly, the procession of memories jumped to the time when he and his family were visiting Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico. He was carrying his little sister, Daisy, on his shoulders because the tour was too long for her to endure walking the distance. Now he was pretty sure he wasn’t dead, but something weird was happening.

He tried again to move something on his body, but it was as if he was encased in concrete. He forced himself to concentrate all his energy on tuning his senses to their highest levels of sensitivity. He could see nothing, feel nothing, hear nothing, but there did seem to be a peculiar smell in the space immediately surrounding him. It was a very faint odor of something musky, mixed with a vague disinfectant smell. He began to get the feeling something else was nearby, something living, and a sudden, intense dread washed over him. Something was drawing all these memories out of his mind. He was sure of it.

He heard a faint noise, something like a thud, and it sounded like it came from a place other than his immediate vicinity. He was now certain he was not dead, and pretty sure he was in some kind of trouble. Another faint noise caused a reaction from whatever it was he sensed was nearby. It was barely perceptible, but he was sure something stirred next to him. The wash of old memories suddenly stopped. He had the distinct feeling some proverbial shit was about to hit the proverbial fan.

Without warning, as if on cue, there was a loud crack, followed by a burst of light from behind him. He heard a hoarse, croaking yelp, and then a hiss nearby. It came from that something he had sensed. The light was so bright in contrast to the total darkness it made his eyes feel like they were being scorched by hot brands. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out his own gasp of pain.

He heard a female voice. Back off of him, bitch! Then a scuffle. A second later, two incredibly loud bangs, like gunshots, exploded just off to his left, leaving his ears ringing and his head throbbing. For a moment he thought he was going to die after all, but frankly he preferred the quiet, peaceful passing that had preceded this new torment.

Wolf? Wolf, are you alright? he heard the female voice ask.

Chase? he replied incredulously.

Are you okay? she repeated. He recognized her voice. It was Chase O’Brian, his wife. Can you get up?

I can’t move anything, he croaked. His eyes were shut, still trying to get them adjusted to the light. His ears were ringing.

Chase examined the platform containing Wolf’s prone form. It was the only thing in the small room other than a chair in which a mangled creature now slumped.

You’re hooked up to something on this platform. Looks like two clamps on either side of your neck, Chase observed, And some kind of thing on your head.

He managed to get his eyes to open slightly. The light was still glaringly bright, but he was able to take in the gory image before him. It appeared to be a being from Talbeek, its head blown apart. Where its brain should have been was a mass of white squirming things which looked like maggots.

Just then another person entered the room. He saw it was their friend, Tick, and he was carrying his staff, poised in front of him like a weapon. His gaze was fixed on the disfigured creature in the chair. Tick leaned in to get a closer look. He placed the top end of his staff very near the writhing mass inside what was left of the dead Talbeekean’s head. The top of the staff began to glow and then emitted a bright flash of light. When Tick withdrew his staff, the things inside the head had been transmogrified into a still, gray mass.

Tick made a sound resembling a sigh. He looked over to Chase and Wolf, his wide, dark eyes expressionless, as is normal for a Talbeekean.

Are you well? Tick asked Wolf.

I can’t move anything, Wolf replied.

He’s got these two things attached to his neck, Chase offered, pointing to the devices. He’s also got this other thing.

Tick moved around behind the platform and simply removed the two clamp-like gadgets. Wolf was immediately able to move his fingers, then his hands and feet. It took a few more moments to regain control of the rest of his body and sit up. Every part of him felt like pins and needles were sticking him. Tick examined the device on Wolf’s forehead closely, then removed it also.

What was that awful stuff inside its head? Chase asked Tick, making a face as if she was about to throw up. It looked like, she paused, put her hand up to her mouth, maggots. She barely got the word out. Chase hates maggots, hates the very word, maggots.

They are the Glort, said Tick.

Those are the Glort? replied Chase incredulously. They’re just, she hesitated again, worms for god sake. How can those things be the Glort? I thought they were supposed to be very advanced intellectual beings.

They are one of the most advanced intellectual beings in our known universe, but they are parasites, Tick said. They no longer have a functional body of their own, only a communal intelligence made up of many, very small cerebral individuals. They must continually find and develop new hosts in which to live in order to survive. In the past, they used machines combined with human-like creatures to contain and serve the Glort. Now, they are apparently looking for new biological replacements.

Tick shifted his attention to the dead Talbeekean in the chair. This individual was a Talbeekean from the Engineering Clan. We suspected one or more of our people might have been compromised by the Glort, but we have not been able to determine this for certain. The cohabitation process they have developed, once they have invaded a new host, is very thorough. It is obvious the infestation of this individual was complete.

During this update from Tick, Wolf sat on the edge of the platform, trying to ensure all of his limbs were working properly and struggling to make sense of what had just happened. He was shaking his head in disbelief.

What is it? Chase asked Wolf, a little impatiently. Are you okay? Do you have those maggoty things inside your head? She was looking at him suspiciously.

I’m fine, as far as I can tell, and no, I don’t have any aliens inside me, he retorted. At least he didn’t think so. He was looking at Chase, his wounded expression morphing into incredulity. Did you come in here and blow the head off of this, this whatever it was?

Chase slowly nodded, a little sheepishly. I told her to back off, but she had some kind of long, sharp, metal-looking thing, and she had it raised like she was going to stab me with it, or maybe stab you. It all happened very fast.

What in the hell did you use, a bazooka? asked Wolf.

I used my Smith and Wesson .38, loaded with snake shot, she replied, looking quite rattled, yet vaguely triumphant. It works pretty well on rattlesnakes around the ranch, so I figured it would do the job on whatever it was that had you.

Wolf sat there staring at her in amazement. Tick was also looking at her.

What? she exclaimed after a few moments.

How did you even know I was in trouble, much less that you would need to bring a gun through the portal? Wolf asked in bewilderment.

Tick turned to him. I sent a subliminal message to her through the portal, using the subsonic vibrations it emits to encapsulate the message.

Now Wolf was staring at Tick. You can do that? he asked.

It is relatively easy, he replied. Your house is only about one thousand feet from the portal, so a subliminal message can be embedded in its vibrations and sent along quite effectively.

Wolf looked back to Chase. And so you knew that Tick was sending a message to grab your gun and come rescue me?

I only knew you were in big trouble on the other side of the portal, and I needed to help find you and bring some protection, she said. I can’t say how I knew this, I just did. So, I grabbed my gun, made sure it was fully loaded, and headed for the portal. Tick was there waiting for me.

Wolf was looking down at the floor and shaking his head, trying to make some sense of the situation he found himself in. What happened? How did he get here? What did this all mean? He made a tentative effort to stand. He looked around the small, austere room, then his eyes landed on the mangled creature next to him. Chase and Tick were watching him expectantly.

Good Grief! he said, finally. What the hell happened, and what’s going on? He felt dizzy.

What do we do now? he said more quietly, directing the question to Tick.

Can you walk? Tick asked.

Yes, answered Wolf. I think so.

I will seal this place up. Others will want to inspect it later. This is not a good place for us to be. We will go to my house and I will tell you what I know, Tick said.

We can’t be gone too long, Chase interjected. We’ve got animals to feed, you know.

Wolf looked at his wife with a growing sense of amazement. Smiling, he said, So, you save your husband’s life, slay an invading parasitic alien, and it’s time to go home to another dimension to feed your menagerie of animals. All in a day’s work, right?

It’s not funny, she retorted. I’m a nervous wreck, and I’m scared. He could see she was shaking. Are you sure you’re okay?

I’m going to be fine, he said. Thank you, Sweetheart, for coming to my aid. You are an amazing woman. He got up and tested his legs by heading for the door. He still felt a little lightheaded, but otherwise he thought he would be okay.

Tick and Chase followed him outside. Tick closed the door and once again, using his staff in some mystical manner, sealed it. The end of the staff glowed and there was a kind of fizzling sound around the door. Wolf had never seen Tick use the staff for anything other than something to lean on before today. Something extraordinary was definitely going on.

Tick motioned for them to follow him, and he headed toward a vehicle sitting some distance away. Once they were all inside, Tick manipulated the controls and quickly set the vehicle off and running toward his house.

3

A Plot Unfolds

The trip to Tick’s house was made in a hover vehicle. The main body was tube-like, featuring rounded, cone-shaped ends, a mostly clear roof that extended down to about shoulder level, and four large fans extending from both sides of the vehicle, front and back. The fans were powered by the natural energy woven into the fabric of all things existing in the Talbeek world. Wolf, while never understanding exactly how it worked, accepted the obvious fact there was a ubiquitous natural energy all around, and it could be utilized to power everything from illumination to temperature control, and the power needs of all manner of applications.

The vehicle moved quickly and quietly. The interior was austere, but comfortable. Since adult Talbeekeans are generally the same size as humans, there was plenty of room for Wolf’s six-foot-two body. Tick was only a little shorter than Wolf, but considerably more slender. Chase, all five-foot-two of her, had to stretch a little in order to see over the dashboard.

Wolf knew these vehicles were relatively common in this world, and many Talbeekeans of all clans used them for transportation. All the vehicles he had seen were exactly alike, the same size, same color, with no differing options. Wolf thought they were like Ford’s Model T.

In our world, the guy who invented the mass produced automobile, a guy named Ford, said that any customer can have a car painted any color he wants so long as it is black, Wolf had said to Tick the first time he learned of the lack of choice in Talbeekean transportation. Wolf had smiled and looked at Tick in obvious anticipation of a reaction. Tick gave no indication that he got the connection or the joke, but after a long moment simply replied, that is humor. It didn’t appear to be stated as a question, merely an observation.

Over time Wolf came to realize Talbeekeans didn’t seem to have a sense of humor, at least not as humans define it. To his credit, Tick did try to identify and acknowledge the many occasions when Wolf tried to be funny, all with the same dry observation, That is humor. Wolf thought he detected a few, rare times when Tick made a comment which might be considered wry, and he decided this was Tick’s attempt to engage in humor, but this observation was probably a stretch.

Talbeekeans lack the large repertoire of facial expressions that humans possess. What emotions they feel are mostly hidden to the few humans who interact with them. While Talbeekeans do have eyelids, they rarely blink. Their facial muscles don’t seem to have the necessary capacity to form what humans would describe as typical expressions such as a smile, or a grimace, or most other subtle signs of emotion or feeling. Their skin is stretched tightly across their large face. This, in combination with their big, dark eyes, small nearly lipless mouths, very slight noses, and a propensity to react to just about every situation in a calm, thoughtful manner, causes them to appear to humans as emotionless. That, in fact, is not the case.

Over time, Wolf had learned how to read Talbeekean emotions, and he knew Tick was very upset, although there was nothing obvious enough for Chase to also recognize this. Chase, on the other hand, was quite visibly and vocally upset.

Holy crap, I can’t believe I just killed that thing, Chase said, wringing her hands and looking at both Wolf and Tick. I’m sorry, she added, I meant person, or, I don’t know. Wolf thought she might begin to cry, but she didn’t. She was also angry and anxious to get more answers. Unlike Tick, she wore her emotions on her sleeve, rather dramatically.

We’ll try to sort this all out when we get to Tick’s place, Wolf said in what he hoped was a soothing and reassuring tone of voice. He knew he wasn’t a good resource for trying to calm Chase down right then, so he said nothing more. He was still reeling from what had just happened. He had no idea how he had gotten into such a situation. The experience still seemed so unreal, no, surreal.

It was a long half hour before they arrived at Tick’s house, which was perched on a small hilltop. It was surrounded by very green, grass-like vegetation, pocked here and there with patches of brightly colored wildflowers. There were scattered groves of huge trees surrounding the immediate countryside, some with straight trunks towering into the sky, some with massive buttress-like, moss covered trunks spreading dozens of feet in every direction. These massive trees were separated by the occasional copse of smaller trees and shrubs, producing a very idyllic setting. The earth colored house was comprised of four dome-shaped compartments which melded together to create a fairytale looking structure, with round windows and a stout arched door. Wolf loved this place. He had been here many times in the past, and the place always made him feel welcome and comfortable.

All three of them got out of the hover vehicle and headed for the house without saying a word. They were met at the door by Tick’s partner, Sen, who immediately knew something was wrong.

Sen is a female Talbeekean and Tick’s lifelong partner. To refer to her as his wife would not be exactly accurate, because not all Talbeekeans mate and bear offspring. The role of mating is reserved for specific female individuals within the Talbeek race. The majority of females are biologically incapable of producing progeny, but they do pair with males for life, forming strong bonds. This restrictive reproductive arrangement results in a relatively small population of Talbeek people, especially compared to the 7.6 billion humans inhabiting the human dimension Chase and Wolf come from.

Talbeekeans are a much older race than humans, and they generally live longer than the average human by several decades, some much longer. Their society is organized into clans who are generally focused on the accomplishment of certain specific occupational functions, such as engineering, farming, building, and general labor. There is also the Elder Clan, of which Tick is a member. They provide community leadership and guidance. This social arrangement is not like a caste system of hereditary privilege or rank. The Talbeekeans, as a race, are very organized and structured. They work and live in unperturbed harmony, seemingly as quintessential pacifists. There are members of each clan who have certain designated ranks and roles of authority. These roles are often a result of achieving an advanced age, but are also occasionally bestowed on specific individuals for demonstrated ability or achievement.

Tick and Sen greet each other in the fashion typical of a Talbeekean couple. Tick extends a hand, while Sen places her hand on top of his. Tick then puts his other hand on top of her shoulder and she returns the gesture. Then the two gently touch their foreheads together. Wolf and Chase respectfully stand by. Then Sen walks over to Chase and extends her hand, and Chase returns the gesture.

Sansee, ewetelow-sun, Sen says in the sing-song Talbeekean language. This, roughly translated, is, Hello, you are welcome. Chase returns the greeting, and then the same exchange is made with Wolf.

Tick and Sen exchanged a few quiet words in Talbeek, which Wolf struggles to understand. He recognizes the word moosheye, which is a strong alcoholic drink favored by the Talbeekeans. This is excellent news as far as Wolf is concerned. He could use a stiff drink after what he’s been through.

They all enter the house and Tick motions for Wolf and Chase to sit at a table in the middle of the main room. Sen brought a decanter and three glasses to the table. Everyone sat down, and everyone looked at Tick.

What happened to me back there? Wolf asked in English. Do you have any idea about what’s going on?

Tick sat there for a moment with that non-expression on his face. He finally tilted his head to the right, slowly, gravely. This is their universal gesture of affirmation and the equivalent of a human nod. He responded in slow English.

I am now certain the Glort infected the person we found with you. They took control of her body. Her name was Loosin, and she was of the Engineering Clan, he said. A quiet gasp escaped Sen’s mouth. The evidence is quite clear. He paused another moment to collect his thoughts. For some time now, a few of the other Elders and I have suspected the Glort have been plotting and scheming to misuse our people. As I think you know, the Glort require a host in order to function and survive.

But I thought the people of Talbeek and the Glort had some kind of diplomatic agreement, and that they maintained a peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship, Wolf said.

Tick again tilted his head in affirmation. This is true. We exchange knowledge and information with them, and have done so for several months. There are only a very few of them allowed into this dimension, no more than four or five at a time. They appear to always be very anxious. They are closely monitored, but it is now apparent they have managed to infect some of our people, at least one for sure. It will be difficult to determine whether others have been infected as well. We were apparently too trusting in their integrity.

Chase and Wolf looked at each other, then back to Tick. Wolf suspected there might be another shoe about to drop.

If you suspected treachery, Tick, why didn’t the Elders take some kind of preemptive action? Wolf asked. I realize this must be a delicate interdimensional diplomatic situation and all that, but what happened back there at that place you found me amounted to the destruction of one of your people. Even if Chase hadn’t killed it, Loosin was, for all intents and purposes, already gone.

Again, Tick tilted his head. You are correct, he said. As you know, the Talbeek people are a non-aggressive race. We do not have the kind of weapons you humans use, and it is not in our nature to react in a hostile manner. I did reveal my suspicions about the Glort during a recent gathering, but the majority of the Elder Council did not accept the possibility of such outrageous behavior.

Well, they won’t have any reason to doubt it now, once they see what’s back there inside that place, Chase contributed.

There will be no doubt, Tick agreed, But, there will be two problems. First, a Talbeek citizen was terminated by a human, using a human weapon. This has never happened before, and human weapons, or any other weapons for that matter, are strictly forbidden past a portal. This will be a matter of much consternation among many of the Elders.

Chase sat there in stunned silence, mouth open as she considered the implications of what Tick had just said. She blurted out, But, you told me to bring some protection. At least, I thought that’s what you said, or thought, or whatever. What are you saying now, that I’m going to be in trouble for, what, murder? She was edging toward losing control.

What you terminated was a Glort in a Talbeekean’s body, Tick said. Her attempt to injure you with that weapon she was holding is extremely unusual. The fact that she even possessed such a thing is difficult to fathom. The Talbeek people, in general, are docile and non-violent. Her behavior is unheard of, especially shocking for a member of the Engineering Clan.

It will be complicated, but I think the focus of the Elders’ negative reaction will be on me, Tick said in an effort to reassure her. He was quiet for a moment. I will be held responsible for permitting a weapon through the portal.

Another gasp escaped Sen’s mouth, and she reached over to Tick, who took her hand. They all sat there letting this revelation sink in.

Wait a minute, Wolf said. You said there will be two problems. What’s the second one?

I am fairly certain the Glort are not interested in taking over our race to serve as their new hosts, Tick replied. "Our world is unlikely to be the kind of place they seek. They are greedy consumers of natural resources, which we are told are all but depleted in their world. We know this because of our information exchange with them. We also know they are anxious to find a new world before theirs is no longer capable of supporting them.

The energy resources of our world, the energy we use in all things, are mostly generated by ecological and geological forces, some of which are unique to our world. It is the energy which connects us to everything else in our world. Attempts to extract this energy for purposes other than those we Talbeekeans carefully cultivate would quickly destroy the energy source. Our population is small, too small to be able to support a mass migration of the Glort. They have most likely decided to use the Talbeek people as a means to access their real target, humans and the human world.

It was the human’s turn to gasp. Shit, Wolf murmured.

Shit, Chase echoed.

Shit is fecal excrement, this is so? Tick asked, trying to work out the