The Tale of Mark Devereaux

A Heart Beats

III

"What is it?"

"We don't know. It turned itself in."

The two agents looked through the window into the interrogation room.

"Good afternoon," the first agent said upon entering.

"Afternoon," the digitised voice replied.

"How can you speak our language?"

"The software translates my words into a form you understand."

"You killed an innocent woman and child. You know that?"

The alien turned its black eyes from the agents, choosing to focus on a spot on the wall instead.

"What happened?"

"I was in a battle. My ship was badly damaged, and I had to make an emergency landing."

"There was nothing you could do?"

"No."

The agents let the silence speak for them. Then they said, "What battle?"

"It doesn't matter."

"A fighter jet crash lands here, killing two humans, I'd say it does."

"I made an inaccurate jump in my haste to get away."

The first agent sat back, and locked his fingers behind his head. His partner continued, "We get lots of aliens through here, but your specie is a kind we've never seen before. We even called Earth, and checked. Who are you?"

"I am Palarian."

"Your manner and tone are a bit haughty, like you think you're better than us."

"My attitude is no different to yours when dealing with life forms more primitive than your own."

"Did it just call us primitive?"

"I think it did."

The agents exchanged mocking glances.

"She."

"What?"

"I'm female."

The senior agent regathered his composure. "Do you have a name?"

"Tessia."

"O.K Tessia, why did you turn yourself in?"

"I didn't."

The agents almost fell off their chairs at the woman's reply.

"I wish to give you an account for what has happened, and then I will take a transport to another system where there will be a vessel capable of taking me back to my galaxy."

"You're under Lucretian jurisdiction. You've killed two people. You're looking at manslaughter charges minimum."

Tessia precipitously rose seeing that the authorities would only arrest her.

"Hold it," the agent said.

The Palarian was taller than both the humans, and her body, adorned with alien tech, moved for the door with long legged strides. When the first agent put his hand on her forearm so as to restrain her, he felt the impact of an energy pulse that threw him across the room. The second agent fired, but that same pulse acted like a shield. The bullet hit an invisible wall. Tessia's right foot knocked him out.

The fallen Palarian used a cloaking device to escape the Bureau, and, when out in the street, deactivated it. She looked around at the tall buildings, and smiled in a miserable kind of way.