Julie frowned as she looked at her chicken coop. Another one of her laying hens had been taken during the night. She looked into the desert that surrounded her home and wondered who her late-night visitor was.
The next morning, Julie discovered that two more of her chickens had been taken. She carefully looked for signs of the intruder, but there was nothing.
Julie went into the house and picked up her rifle. She had to find out what happened to her chickens. The answer was out there in the desert.
Even though it was still early, the temperature was already getting warm and Julie kept an eye out for rattlesnakes as she picked her way through sage and rocks.
Sometime in the afternoon, Julie spotted something on the horizon and she began walking towards it. The smell of cooking chicken led her to a campsite.
As Julie approached the camp, she saw a large figure in a cloak tending some sort of cooking device. The cook turned to face her and she was shocked to see that it was some kind of creature.
Julie pointed the rifle at the thing, but kept her finger from the trigger. "What the hell are you?" she asked not really expecting an answer. In response, the creature pointed to a device on its arm. "Translator" it said in a high-pitched voice.
Julie nodded and the creature pushed a button on the device. "What are you?" she said again. The device converted her words into the creature's language and it responded. "A visitor" it said in the same high-pitched voice. The creature then pointed to one of the early stars.
Too weird Julie thought and she remembered her chickens. "Why did you steal my chickens?" Julie asked the creature. The translator interpreted her words and the creature haltingly answered: "I like to sample the foods of the planets I visit. I apologize for violating your laws." The creature pulled something out of it's cloak and handed it to Julie. It was some sort of a diamond. "Payment for the chickens" the creature said.
Julie glanced at the chicken cooking on the creature's device. It sure smelled good. The creature motioned for her to sit and together they ate the chicken. It was one of the best meals Julie had ever had.
The next morning, Julie discovered that two more of her chickens had been taken. She carefully looked for signs of the intruder, but there was nothing.
Julie went into the house and picked up her rifle. She had to find out what happened to her chickens. The answer was out there in the desert.
Even though it was still early, the temperature was already getting warm and Julie kept an eye out for rattlesnakes as she picked her way through sage and rocks.
Sometime in the afternoon, Julie spotted something on the horizon and she began walking towards it. The smell of cooking chicken led her to a campsite.
As Julie approached the camp, she saw a large figure in a cloak tending some sort of cooking device. The cook turned to face her and she was shocked to see that it was some kind of creature.
Julie pointed the rifle at the thing, but kept her finger from the trigger. "What the hell are you?" she asked not really expecting an answer. In response, the creature pointed to a device on its arm. "Translator" it said in a high-pitched voice.
Julie nodded and the creature pushed a button on the device. "What are you?" she said again. The device converted her words into the creature's language and it responded. "A visitor" it said in the same high-pitched voice. The creature then pointed to one of the early stars.
Too weird Julie thought and she remembered her chickens. "Why did you steal my chickens?" Julie asked the creature. The translator interpreted her words and the creature haltingly answered: "I like to sample the foods of the planets I visit. I apologize for violating your laws." The creature pulled something out of it's cloak and handed it to Julie. It was some sort of a diamond. "Payment for the chickens" the creature said.
Julie glanced at the chicken cooking on the creature's device. It sure smelled good. The creature motioned for her to sit and together they ate the chicken. It was one of the best meals Julie had ever had.
