Nervous. That was the best way to describe Mary Farris right now. Despite her experience in corporate ass kissing, there was always something unnerving about standing in front of a truly influential person. Mary had met many people who pretended to be more than what they were.
It wasn’t long before she knew how they ticked and could exploit their inflated egos or appeal to their narcissistic tendencies. After a couple of minutes and quite a bit of flattery, she could get anyone to do what she wanted while making it seem like their idea.
This person was different. A gargantuan height and a lithe physique, the Altum Ambassador towered over everyone in the room, including Carlos, the 206cm tall employee standing behind her.
He had fundamentally human features, but the angles and lines in his face were just a little too sharp. His gaunt cheekbones framed his relatively small face to look sharp and imposing, like an exposed blade. His eyes were completely white with no iris in the middle, which was very unsettling.
Despite his uncanny facial features, it was obvious to any observer that this particular Altum man was nothing but benevolent. His inhuman eyes held a warm expression, and a patient smile was always teasing at the corner of his lips. He had held this smile ever since Mary and her entourage had sat down at the other end of the table. Just now, his expression shifted slightly, and he looked more confused than before.
“Ms. Farris? Is something troubling you?”
Mary snapped out of her thoughts. What was she thinking, letting her attention slip like that? She realized she had been staring for way too long. What if staring is considered rude in their culture? She quickly scanned her surroundings to find a topic to redirect to. She looked at the table, the people around the room, and then back to the man across from her. She then looked on to his robes, which were large and flowing with complex patterns on them.
Out loud, she remedied, “Ah, my apologies if I was rude, Honored Koreth,” she bowed her head towards him, “I was just admiring your garments. Are they custom-made?” The Altum man, Koreth, smiled even wider upon hearing her interest in his clothes.
“Ah, yes I suppose they would be rather eye-catching,” he said as he looked down at his sleeves. “This is an alteration of a traditional diplomacy garment my people wear when travelling within foreign lands.” He then made a sweeping gesture with his extensive arms to show off the hanging fabric at his waist.
The robes, though they were more like window curtains, flowed lightly in the still air of the room. The material was clearly rather dense, but it flowed in a light and ethereal manner, as if gravity had no effect on it. Woven into the fabric were complex mosaics that looked as if they were moving around on the surface of the robe. Mary had directed the conversation towards the robe as a diversion, but she really was taken aback by how striking it was.
Her mouth agape, she brought her lips together into a smile, “It is simply gorgeous.” Another of the mosaic-like patterns caught her eye again. “Do those patterns mean anything?”
“To my people, they would be similar in style to our writing system, but you would find them more familiar to the robes worn by your clergymen. I was actually inspired to make this particular set of robes after meeting someone the last time I came so many years ago.” He turned around and looked at one member of his entourage, who Mary had barely noticed since entering the room.
“Suni-Kes, do any of you remember the name of that one man who came to greet us so many years ago?” His eyes scanned the small group until his white spheres locked on to one person. The person in question, a young Altum woman, immediately nodded her head to Koreth.
“Preth-Ve,” she began before looking to the group of humans in the room, “I mean, master. I believe his name was John Paul. If I recall correctly, he was the second to bear the name.” Koreth nodded back to his disciple before facing Mary again.
“Yes, John, he had rather impressive vestments, and I couldn’t help but incorporate some of them into my own. I am somewhat disappointed to find recent human fashion sensibilities to be rather plain in comparison.”
Mary simply smiled and nodded as he spoke. “That was almost very embarrassing,” she thought, “and it would’ve been in front of the new hires too!” She was lucky that the Altum had accepted her boorishness with grace, but things might have turned out very differently with a different person. The Altum’s gentle response did set her at ease, though. It only made sense that humanity’s benefactors would have an even temper.
Mar decided to pivot the conversation once more. “Carlos, give our Honored guest a brief summary of the catering for the event.” Carlos had been quietly observing the situation the entire time, and flinched slightly when his name was said out of the blue. After a few seconds of silence, Mary turned her eyes to the side and shot him a hard look.
This seemed to do the trick, as Carlos hesitantly stepped forward and cleared his throat to speak. “Uhm, y-yes, of course. We have a lot of different items planned for the meal, and it should be to your liking. Oh, that assumes we know what you like, and we really haven’t asked you yet, so maybe it’s not to your liking?”
He received an even harsher side glance from Mary before he corrected, “Uhm, we at Bastion are very confident in our food selection, so we are sure there is something you will like, uh, Suni-Kes?” He was talking through one breath, and needed to take a second before he could continue. Before he could, however, a member of the group behind the ambassador marched forward sternly.
“You! Human! Kneel and repent for your sins against the master!” Her voice carried throughout the room and Mary heard a heavy thud from behind her. Carlos’s towering frame had dropped hard to the floor, and his face was currently pressed into the meeting room’s carpet. His hands were down at his sides, and he had tucked his knees inwards to shrink as small as he could manage.
Mary’s face fell as silence filled the room. She had done some research beforehand, so she knew to be very careful when addressing an Altum with a high status. You had to be even more careful when their peers were around, as they were much more prone to use violence in defense of their masters. It seems, however, that her employees did not share her considerations and were apt to speak nonsense without thinking first.
Mary opened her mouth to try and clean up this mess when a voice broke the silence, “Please, calm yourself disciple. Consider your role in this meeting before you made a serious decision on my behalf.” Mary looked down at the figure of Carlos groveling on the ground and couldn’t help but feel that a serious decision had already been made but remained quiet to avoid escalating the situation.
Koreth continued, “You know that the humans do not know our ways, so act with leniency before you punish them for their ignorance.” He looked down at Carlos before he raised his right hand upwards. Carlos’s figure immediately relaxed as he was no longer pressing his face into the rough office carpet.
“I apologize for your pain, young disciple of Bastion. Although it may have been unintentional, you dishonored me by referring to me with the improper honorific. My students refer to me as Preth-Ve to indicate my superior status as their master and teacher. I in turn refer to them as Suni-Kes, which indicates that I see them as lower. Pleas refrain from making such mistakes in the future.”
Karl nodded his head fervently before standing up and stepping far behind my chair. I decided that now was a good time to reenter the conversation and smooth things over.
“Thank you for your wisdom, Honored Koreth. I believe it is best if the humans use our native tongue to avoid any further mistakes. As I was saying earlier…” I briefed the group once again on the event catering, going into more detail on the individual items and meal selections available.
A pleasant smiled remained on Koreth’s angular face as he listened, seemingly unbothered by the whole interaction. The Altum woman continued to stare daggers at Carlos but made no further moves against him. Koreth continued to listen attentively, ignoring his disciple’s behavior.
“While I do greatly appreciate your consideration for our beliefs in choosing the menu,” Koreth began, “We rarely get to try human food. What you have described is what I eat every day back home, and I would rather try something new and different.”
“Of course, honored ambassador, you are free to do as you please.” Mary felt especially on edge after that stunk Carlos pulled earlier, so she was being very agreeable with the ambassador.
Koreth’s smile drooped at the corners of his mouth. “Though I’m sure it doesn’t appear as such to you humans, I am beholden to a great number of restrictions when on Earth.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Right, speaking of which…” Mary turned her head around to look at the two employees she had brought with her. Carlos looked like he was trying to burrow a hole into the floor while Susan was looking right back at Mary. Mary smiled again. At least one of her underlings seemed to have prepared themselves somewhat.
“Susan? Could you please update our guest on the precautions we are taking for the banquet?” The small woman confidently took a step forward.
“Come on,” Mary thought, “I need you to make a good impression.” Her eyes sharpened and her breathing became more even. Unlike when she interacted with Mary, the young woman exuded confidence.
“Greetings, Honored Koreth, I am Susan Blakemore, and I’ve been assigned to event security. Bastion Group has made you and your convoy’s safety to be a number one priority. We have hired over one hundred trained personnel with backgrounds in private security or ex-military members. Two teams will be accompanying you directly, while four rotating groups swap between interior and exterior surveillance.
The Altuman looked at her intently, scrutinizing her with the vast depth of his gaze. Mary was very surprised by the young intern’s performance. She had been decisive and detail-oriented when explaining the security rotations, which was very different from how she usually acted around the office.
“This girl has some guts, I like that. I’ll have to have a talk with that bastard Robert about getting her assigned to me on future projects.” The Altuman seemed similarly pleased with her briefing as Mary, as his smile returned yet again.
“Excellent, young one. It seems Bastion has quite the promising young talent.” Susan smiled ever so slightly at his praise, but generally maintained a stoic demeanor.
The giant alien leaned forward in his seat slightly, “I am very impressed with how detailed the planning for this event has been. I do think it is a shame you all have spent so much time preparing for our arrival while receiving nothing in return. I suppose we should remedy that somehow.”
Mary decided now was a good time to cut back in, “Oh no, please don’t trouble yourself, Honored Ambassador, your presence alone on our planet is a gift in and of itself.” Completely contrary to his imposing stature, the Altum man released a light trilling noise as his beaming smile grew even larger than before. The noise was incongruous with his appearance, sounding soft and light, like the morning song of a bird.
Mary soon realized what was happening, “Wait, is that his laugh? That is just precious.” The noise stopped as soon as it came, but Mary definitely wouldn’t be forgetting it.
Koreth took a second to calm himself, “I apologize, it’s just that your words were a bit too diplomatic for my liking. I am not so egotistical as to require flattery, but I do recognize your efforts in doing so.” His face became stoic, harshly contrasting against his previously cheerful demeanor.
He continued, “I meant it when I said I should reward you for your service in welcoming my people, and the Altum do not give their word lightly. He then looked to Susan, who was still standing to the side. “Tell me, young one, do you know of our arts?”
This simple phrase caused the room to grow still. Very still. The entourage Koreth had brought began to carry worried expressions, and a few seemed to consider speaking up. A sidewards glance from Koreth seemed to make them calm down. The humans in the room were deathly still.
The Altum people were very popular with the public, and this was for two reasons. First, unlike modern stereotypes of extraterrestrials, the Altum were a kind and benevolent people. These qualities meant that people tended to like them when they arrived on the planet, as they were excellent guests.
The second quality of theirs is how they demand respect from each and every human across the planet: World Speech.
Koreth stood up from his seat, interpreting the silence in the room as an affirmative response. His head soared into the air as it came to rest mere centimeters from the meeting room ceiling. He glanced at Mary’s group as he did so.
“I would recommend that everyone take a seat before I begin,” Koreth said as he looked especially towards Susan and Carlos. They immediately complied, rushing to find a seat.
“Now then, we can begin. My disciples, please pay close attention to this demonstration. Do not attempt to replicate it, as you are not yet at this point in your training.” Koreth’s hands swept out from his side, each one resting at a slight angle from his torso. He then slowly raise them up until they were perpendicular with his shoulder.
A shimmer in the air caught everyone’s attention as the place Koreth’s hands once were began to condense and swirl. The air took on a blue sheen as it convulsed and swirled in place, forming a faint outline of an arm near Koreth’s waist. The phantom arms began to fully materialize as the light blue air stiffened into place, forming two translucent blue arms below his two normal ones.
Subtly, yet with a firmness like iron, a low note began to emanate from the man. It was a deep, low rumble, and Mary could feel it as the very bones in her body begin to vibrate. Soon, the air around them began to shiver again.
This time, the mystical aura was not subtle, but forceful and abrasive in its appearance. It began to condense again into that blue shimmer, except it was much faster and livelier this time. A storm of bluish wind was forming around the giant alien, and it pulsed and writhed like a living being.
The rumble Koreth released from his throat suddenly spiked in intensity, causing Mary to feel slightly nauseous. Paintings on the wall began to sway, and a few decorative plants fell from their holders. She didn’t stop watching though, as her and every other person there was was transfixed by the alien. Koreth began flowing his hands gently through the air in a practiced, instinctual way.
Each wave of his hand or bend of his finger caused the very space in the room to shift and convulse. It was like he was taming a wild animal, except that the wild animal was the world around them. To another observer, it might’ve looked like Koreth was fighting the space for control, but to Mary it looked more like a dance. Koreth took the lead in the dance, and the world followed, mirroring his movements.
Mary could feel something deep in the very essence of her being. She felt compelled to join and be part of that beautiful dance. Mary wished she could move along with his movements, that she could join and be one with the world around her at that moment. It seemed so freeing, so relaxing, so purposeful, like nothing else she had done ever mattered.
All at once, everything stopped. The condensed energy in the room moved straight towards Koreth, focusing on the center of his being. Space itself cracked and twisted as it folded in on itself. Koreth’s form, which had become difficult to identify in the powerful storm of energy, had become hazy and ethereal.
Within the blink of an eye, Mary couldn’t see him anymore. The all-important ambassador of an alien race had disappeared. If Mary wasn’t so stunned by the display, she would’ve been mortified to have let the man out of her sight, let alone have him disappear. Fortunately, she was in so state to do so.
The remaining energies surrounding him flowed freely throughout the room. With nothing else to guide them, they seemed to focus on the room’s remaining occupants. None of the wild energies moved towards the remaining Altum in the back of the room, but to the group of defenseless humans on the other side.
One of them hurtled directly for Mary’s face, but she was too transfixed by the previous scene to react properly. Just before it hit her, it took a sharp curve towards the female disciple who had berated Carlos earlier. Her hand, extended outwards, caught the energy, and dispersed it harmlessly into the air around her.
She sighed, “The Preth-Ve is absolutely brilliant in his command, but he could learn when the appropriate time and place is to do such things.” She shared a disapproving look with Koreth’s remaining students, who all nodded in solidarity.
She continued, “And why did he choose teleportation of all things? We still have a lot to do today, so when is he going to meet up with us again? Where even is he!?”
Mary finally snapped out of her daze but continued staring at the people in front of her. “That was… incredible! I-I’ve never felt anything like that in my entire life!” It was like the first time she took psychedelics with her friends in high school, except that this time, it happened at work, during a meeting with aliens. A beaming smile plastered itself across Mary’s face.
Unfortunately for her, the euphoria didn’t last long. A sinking feeling of dread began to slowly dawn on her. She began to feel uneasy, and the amazement and astonishment converted into anxiety.
“I feel… wrong. Something is wrong. I feel like I’ve lost something important to me, something I can’t live without.” Mary looked to the woman in the back of the room accusingly, for Mary knew it was her who had stolen what was rightfully hers. The woman, who was still standing there, placed her hands into a folded position near her legs.
The Altum woman sighed dramatically, “This is exactly why the master shouldn’t have done this. Most humans just aren’t meant to converse with the world on the scale and with as much depth as we do.”
Another in the group, a younger man, nodded along with her, “The two in the back seem to be fine, but this older one in front is probably going to go through withdrawals. Should we put her to sleep until they subside?” This question was directed towards the Altum woman, who seemed to be the de facto leader after Koreth’s dramatic exit.
“We should probably ask her subordinates before we decide.” She looked straight at Susan Blakemore. “Young one, Susan, was it? Can you take responsibility for this woman for the next few hours?”
Susan, who had taken the encounter much better, shook her head ferociously, “Me? No, no, she’s not my boss, I was dragged here against my will. It’s him who should be responsible for Ms. Farris.” She pointed straight at Carlos, who shivered at seeing the Altum’s monotone eyes shift his way.
“I suppose if there is no alternative other than the belligerent one, then so be it,” she finished.
Mary had continued murmuring at this point, speaking nonsensically about wanting something back. The Altum woman walked up to Mary and placed a hand upon her forehead. A much less dramatic display than before occurred, as only a small flash of light appeared. Mary for one, seemed to become elated at having the rush return once again.
“Yes, yes, YES! It’s back, I can feel it again!” She then immediately passed out, her legs collapsing under her. Carlos barely had time to get his hand under her head before it hit the ground. The rest of his boss’s body still fell hard to the floor with a thud.
“I better get a pay raise for this later,” Carlos muttered to himself as he started dragging his boss to sit upright in a rolling chair.
Susan, who had a cheeky grin on her face, added, “Mrs. Farris? May I be excused from this meeting?” Susan waited for a moment before adding, “Oh, you say you don’t care? Ok, that’s great, I’ll be leaving now then.” The intern smiled as she nodded to the guests in the room and walked to the door. She struggled to pull the ten-foot door out from the doorframe, presumably because it was twice her size. Once she had a sizable gap available, she squeezed through before the door shut with a heavy thud.
Carlos then looked at the door, down at his boss, and up to the Altum remaining. “Uhm, thank you for help. We at Bastion Group hope you thoroughly enjoy the banquet tomorrow.”
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