The Apocalypse Contract

CHAPTER 1 - SYDNEY

Sydney wasn't accustomed to having aliens materialize in her apartment. In fact, visitors of any kind tended to set her on edge, so the sudden appearance of this strange pair left her nearly catatonic.

"Have you considered our proposal?" the being on the left asked. At least she assumed it was the one on the left. It's mouth hadn't actually moved, so she couldn't be sure.

She tried to answer, but only a breathy gasp escaped.

"We are unfamiliar with the meaning of that vocalization. Was it agreement? We can begin your orientation immediately if so."

Sydney sucked in a quick breath and finally found her voice. "Oh my god you're real! You're really aliens. You're real, and you're in my apartment." Her eyes swept back and forth from one alien figure to the other. "And you're naked. Why are you naked?" She realized it was a ridiculous question after she asked it. Why should she assume aliens would wear clothes? They looked more like genderless department store mannequins than people anyway, so it wasn't like the nudity was shocking. Maybe that was it. Mannequins should have clothes on them. That was their purpose. A naked mannequin was a job unfinished. A job once started should always be finished.

The aliens turned toward each other, their heads moving as if they were using their empty mannequin eyes to confirm their nudity. Clothing blossomed on their skin, appearing in patches, then growing together to form full garments. "Do you find this acceptable?" the alien on the right asked. He was now wearing a gray pinstriped business suit, alligator shoes, and a derby hat. His companion wore a light blue polo shirt, beige cargo pants, and sandals. The polo shirt still had a price tag on it, reinforcing the mannequin motif.

"I don't like people in my apartment," she managed to sputter.

"As we were telling you during our phone conversations, we are not people. We are extraterrestrial aliens. You seemed unconvinced. We find a physical manifestation can be persuasive."

"Yeah, well... go manifest yourself over there on the sofa. You're... all up in my personal space, and it's freaking me out." She hadn't told them to get out. Why hadn't she told them to get out?

The aliens walked around the coffee table and sat on her sofa. Sydney relaxed slightly but remained in her reading chair, hands clenched on the chair's arms. Her phone was still lying on the floor where she had dropped it, the call still connected. Her orange tabby cat Pixel was still sleeping on top of his favorite bookcase, completely undisturbed by the alien incursion.

Moments earlier, Sydney had been engaged in a phone interview with potential consulting clients, or so she thought. Sure, they seemed a bit odd, with their stilted speech and off the wall questions, but they wouldn't be her first weirdo clients. When you only accept telecommuting jobs, you have to cast your net a bit wider. She was willing to overlook a lot of weirdness as long as the checks cleared.

"As I was saying, employment with us would involve unparalleled health benefits. We can free you from all biological maladies, including the terminal condition you currently suffer from." It was the casually dressed alien that had said this. Well, she assumed so, since he was gesturing with his hand while the speech was happening. Was 'he' the correct pronoun? Did aliens have gender? They sounded male. Actually, they sounded like radio announcers. Maybe TV anchormen.

"How... how do you know about my cancer? That should be confidential. You could get in a lot of..." She remembered she was dealing with space aliens that could materialize inside locked rooms. Potential legal trouble over HIPAA health privacy violations was probably not something they worried about.

"Our data collection methods are proprietary and not pertinent to this negotiation," Business Suit Alien answered. "We are prepared to compensate you financially at your current billing rate for the duration of the contract. We will also provide medical benefits as previously stated. In return we require your exclusive services for the duration of the contract. Your duties will include the piloting and maintaining of a single occupancy spaceship for the delivery of materials to a star your astronomers call Ross 154."