The Best Meat in the Universe

“Well we’re in it now.” I said, watching the Holo-screen zoom in on the seven vessels approaching at speed. “Mr. Leighton! Any idea who our new friends are?”

“The Macenion database does not have these silhouettes on file sir!” Leighton shot back immediately. “And there aren’t any known species near the breach either sir, I think we have an unknown.”

“Understood Mr. Leighton. Please see what you can find anyway. Go by similar shape and keep me apprised of what you find.”

“Yes sir.” He said, chastened.

“Ms. Maya, please broadcast a request for communication on all channels and inform the Laurenth and the Gamnon to drop shields. They should be prepared for a quick escape in case things go badly. Mr. Kinman, please do the same.” Two ‘yes sirs’ and it was accomplished. In the screen the saucers slowed, they must be in weapons range now I thought. “Mr. Leighton! Mark 6370 as maximum weapons range and refine the search!”

“Sir!” Ms. Maya called out. “We’re getting a response on Frequency 7829.3”

“Note that frequency Mr. Leighton! Ms. Maya please send them a salutation. Loadout 3.” The third loadout program was designed for close extraterrestrial allies. A little presumptive perhaps, but it gave the right impression.

The response came quickly as the saucers slowed to a stop in a loose formation. In a low, gravelly voice the response came. “Yellow, she far Captain’s. New far Hunans? Moo new half Beef?” I looked over at the Ms. Maya the communications officer. Her confusion mirrored mine. “That definitely sounds like stark…” I said slowly.

“Yes sir, it’s definitely some species that has heard our language before. Sounds like they have some trouble speaking it. Do you have a response?”

“Hmm… Go ahead.” With a soft click the voice translator activated. “Greetings star travelers. I am Admiral Taggert of the Yismirgh. May I ask your purpose in the Breach?”

The response was slow in coming. “I pam Leader Skalp shove D Spacerover Fido. Bee comb in Earth shove Beef. Moo new half many charade?” There was a moment of silence while the command deck digested this before: “ Pay we comb meat new?” I looked to Ms. Maya who shrugged.

“Sir. It sounded a bit like ‘may we come meet you’ to me.”

“Are you certain Mr. Leighton?” Put on the spot he quailed, and stuttered a bit. “Ms. Maya?”

“It could be sir. We know they know some Stark, they could just be massively mispronouncing words. I expect they’d understand a simple yes. “

“Hmmm… And body language might help. Inform the Laurenth and the Gamnon that we will be entertaining visitors and to stay on alert. Ms. Maya, please relate a ‘Yes please come’ to our friends out there.”

“Will do sir. The Gamnon sends a message that this is a bad idea. They have been listening.”

“Noted. Send the message. ” The message away, the result came almost immediately. A small saucer dropped from the foremost ship and slowly traversed the distance between us. Far too slow to be a projectile attack.

“Sir! The Gamnon has another message for you, on the direct laser transmission. They say it’s urgent!”

Hmmm. I looked to Ms. Ferro, my first officer, and nodded. She turned and left the bridge without a word. “I’ll take the message in my office immediately.”

Safely ensconced in my office I turned to the large screen that already showed Captain Nesmith’s worried face. He started immediately. “Admiral, I fear you are in terrible danger! Those aliens aren’t coming on board to talk with you; they are there to eat you!”

“What?” I asked, flabbergasted.

“They are a species known as the Calpains. They were identified as one of the species that found earth before we perfected spaceflight. The old UFOs!”

My blood went cold. But I had to be sure. “How do you know this? What information do you have?”

“My lieutenant studied early history and believes strongly in his conclusion.”

“But it didn’t show in the Macenion archive.” I argued.

“These are older ships, ancient ones. These ARE the old UFOs!”

“Good enough for me. Extend shields and link with the Laurenth. I’ll deal with this boarding party.” Barely pausing, I pressed the intercom link. “Ferro! Beware, the party is hostile!”

An almost immediate reply came back. “Sir! They broke through the line! They have invaded the ship! I couldn’t stop them!” My blood iced over. The hold was far too close to the bridge for my liking. I turned toward the door to the bridge and rushed forward, hearing a sharp impact in the room outside. No! I burst through the door and kicked out, smashing Mr. Leighton directly in the face as he bent to retrieve a clipboard he had dropped before the door.

“Captain!”

Confused for a second I glanced around the bridge, my mind conjuring alien phantasms from the air. They hadn’t reached the bridge yet.

“We have boarders!” I shouted. “All hands to battle stations! Mr. Ingersol, please gather your men then follow me. Seal off the bridge!”

Wielding my trusty Gatlain_tm I charged out into the secondary deck. Immediately I noted the intruders. What looked like at least six tall, short furred and spotted humanoids loped across a hallway, disappearing around the corner. Not headed to the bridge, must be the engine; they could cripple the ship! With a choice swear I charged after them turning the corner as the last of them disappeared into a large set of double doors off the hallway. What were they doing? That hall ended in the Officer’s Mess.

Turning the corner I came upon a scene of absolute carnage. A full dozen of the seven foot tall slavering coyote-men tore hungrily into their captured food. Droplets of red spittle flew with each bite. Screams echoed about the room, magnifying the din as the savage beast-men gobbled down every hamburger and handful of taco meat in sight. The closest turned to me, rare burger meat dropping in small chunks from his mouth.

“I’m so sorry. We couldn’t control ourselves.” It spoke, and then swallowed. “Beeeeef…” It said, practically moaning. “The Best Meat in the Universe.”

Postcards Home

From: Lio's Camp for Females

Niejli Empire

Pumathil

Message 1 [3264/7/16/23.12]

Mom,

Come get me. This place is horrible. I’m the only human here. Besides one of the counselors. He’s nice but still, I have no one to hang out with and all the Kimarans and Giltus keep making fun of me. I’m in this stupid cabin out in the freaking wilderness. I’m the only one who doesn’t breathe CO2 so I have to wear this air converter on my face all day! It’s cold and humid and it’s nasty. And I had this purple bug in my bed this morning. The Kimarans said it was harmless but I don’t want to get back into that bed tonight. Supposedly we’re going to have this hike somewhere later this week and the Kimarans keep telling me to be worried and its one of the hardest climbs in the Myani Mountain range. I can’t do this. Please come get me.

Sarah

From: Lio's Camp for Females

Niejli Empire

Pumathil

Message 2 [3264/7/17/22.46]

Mom,

I hate this place. The Kimarans keep picking on me and Counselor Arvid can’t be here the whole time. The really bad one is Mac’Tu, a big Kimaran, almost an adult she says. I don’t know enough about them but she looks like a big blue Ostrich. She’s stupid and mean. I want to go home. The big hike is the day after tomorrow and everyone will call me names if I don’t go. I’ve never gone on a hike before, even on Earth. Who knows what the mountains on Pumathil are like? They could be huge! I really don’t like being here can you Please cone and get me? I really miss you and Daddy and Elisabeth. I hope she is having fun. I want at least one of us to be enjoying herself.

Sarah

From: Lio's Camp for Females

Niejli Empire

Pumathil

Message 3 [3264/7/19/23.01]

Mom,

Counselor Arvid told me yesterday that I shouldn’t sweat the small stuff. The mountain was tiny. It was like a really tall hill. There weren’t even any rocks! The Kimarans were all whining the entire time. They didn’t believe me when I told them that I lived on hills bigger than their mountain. I even showed them the picture of the house, you know, from the side yard. They were all amazed. Mac’Tu has shut up now and one of her friends, a Molan named Reem (as far as I can understand) and I are hanging out. She found out that this stuff she uses, I think it’s like sunscreen, which keeps all the bugs away. It’s not poisonous either; I made sure to ask Arvid about it. I’m actually looking forward to the lake trip tomorrow, Reem says the water is much warmer than the air and it should be comfortable for me. I’m supposed to take this pill before I get in the water though. Some safety thing. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Sarah

From: Lio's Camp for Females

Niejli Empire

Pumathil

Message 4 [3264/7/20/22.57]

Mom,

I wish I could stay here longer. Once you get used to the air it’s actually not bad. You don’t sweat much. Mac’Tu has gotten nicer, Reem is awesome, and Counselor Arvid is really cool. He’s got this atmo-surfing vehicle that we were able to ride on. I can’t believe that I’ll be heading home tomorrow. I’ll miss Reem too. She lives on Gilcanon which isn’t too far from Earth, do you think maybe she could come over some time? I’d share my room. She is really nice. Anyway, Arvid is taking us out to a restaurant in the nearest town thing. He says it has some Human meals too so I’m looking forward to eating with everyone else. Maybe I could even taste some of their food; As long as Arvid says its safe. See you soon!

Sarah

Mwahahahahaha!!!

Mwahahahahaha! Fool! Did you really think that all these obstacles would have stopped ME?!?!?

I am terror, I am evil genius incarnate! You noble hero, who tried vainly to thwart my every turn must now watch as I feast upon the prize I have worked so long to attain. What was yours is now mine, and I can already feel its virtue inside me. I gain strength as you watch me devour that which you once called your own.

Your feeble attempts at evading me, distracting me from my goal are proven worthless; nothing you have done has even given me pause! The twisting maze you formed in your mind to defy me was simplicity itself. The barriers were simple to climb, allowing me to slip easily though the nets you thought to capture me in. You weak minded fool, did you really think that such walls might stop me?

And your silly attempts to disrupt my purpose were pathetic. Sweet scents, seeking to pull my nose away from the true prize. I did not fall for such ploys; no offering could have taken the place of my prize. Even in the greatest profusion, you could not pull me away from completing my ultimate plan.

Even your threats and shadows, and wildest assaults, could not stop my progress. Nothing in your infantile experience could hope to stop me. The smell of a predator in the darkness gave me no fear, nor did the angry display of power that you attempted to mete out on me. I was, and am, far too quick for you.

With all of your labyrinthine twists and turns you had hoped to lead me astray. Stupid. The false clues and fake trails you laid for me to follow were ignored outright, and no hidden turns or twists went undiscovered. You imagined that your convoluted maze of defenses could slow me down, and keep me from my prize. You were wrong.

It was your swift judgment of me that doomed you; a weakness of character that you have so often demonstrated. All of your greatest endeavors to thwart me fail as you are incapable of recognizing the one simple truth: I am your better. Your greatest creation withered before me as the barriers that you placed between me and your greatest treasure crumbled, only waiting to pass on your secrets as they ushered me on my way. You never gave me credit, and that was your undoing.

At last the prize is mine to devour, the luscious taste of your impotence blazes inside me. I have your treasure now, in my grasp, its glory filling my being. You tried to fool me. You tried to stop me. You tried to lead me astray. But it is now mine. Truly mine. Mine in such a way that you may never recover it. Never feel its presence grace your being again.

Truly you are a fool.

And I?

I am a GOD.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Hey Wilson?”

“Yeah?”

“What is that noise?”

“It's that little demon rat. It’s been squeaking like that since it got a hold of the cheese.”

“What, you mean it got through your maze?”

“Yeah, like it wasn’t even there. *sigh* So much for my promotion.”

“Not sure how anyone could do better. I mean this one had the works right?”

“Yeah, my maze had multiple levels, honey, dead ends, fake walls that lead to dead ends, wolf urine, rat gore, fake cheese, rotten cheese, and the remains of the other seven mice I sent through to test it. I had deadfalls primed on levers slimed with peanut butter. I had passages that doubled back upon each other. I had a secret door with cheese spray smeared on a pane of glass linked to a flamethrower. He didn’t even try the panel. I even had that last pivotal hallway full of slicing blades; he should never have made it through. But the little rat bastard just up and ran over the wall! God it makes me so pissed! Nothing seemed to deter that damn rat!”

“Mouse.”

“I know its just a mouse! I just… *sigh* He made a fool of me. A freaking mouse, made a fool out of Me. You know how that will look? What am I supposed to do?”

“I’m not even sure how he managed it. I mean, he’s just a common white mouse. One of a million others we’re working with. I’ve seen his MRI, nothing supernatural, or even unusual about him. I’ve seen hundreds exactly like him fail to make it through a barely complex maze.”

“It’s a travesty I know. He’s the only one I’ve never been able to stop. I just hate the little god-damn villain. I think the next cheese will be poisoned.”

“Heh, let’s see him squeak his way out of that.”

End.

The 6023 Kilometer Trek

Sometimes, traveling 6022 kilometers home just isn’t far enough, and life makes you go 6023 instead.

I spent a year getting a degree in a Welsh University in a little town called Trefforest, north of the capital of Wales: Cardiff. During the winter, when it came to be Christmas time, I was headed home to America. Two days in advance, I packed my bags, two large rolling suitcases and a full-to-the-brim backpack to boot. The night before, I had all my plans set. I had a ticket for the train to the bus station, a ticket for the bus ride to Heathrow Airport in London, and a ticket for the plane ride through Philadelphia to North Carolina and Home. I placed my tickets and my passport on my desk, prepared to get up and go the next morning.

And get up and go I did. I awoke far earlier than is my norm, carried my luggage out and locked the door behind me. Placing my keys securely in my backpack I headed down the hill with two full hours of leeway time. Now for those of you who have never traveled to Wales, the Welsh valleys literally have walls at 45 degree angles, which steepen further the higher you go. The University is located on one of these walls and my dorm in particular is located at quite nearly the highest habitable ledge on these monstrous valley walls. So I step from my dorm and make the trek one last time down the hill.

Up the stairs out of my building,
Down the 16 top stairs,
Down the 12 long stairs,
Down the curving access road,
Down the 32 curving stairs,
Down the 24 Cafeteria Stairs,
Across the Café Quad,
Down the 13 Library Stairs,
Down the Library Back Road,
Through the Gate into Treforrest,
Down Trefforest Road,
Down the Train Station Road and,
Over the Station Overpass.

I’m finally down at the train station with a good hour and thirty five minutes of leeway and I check my pockets. My heart stops, and then immediately starts back up, triple-time. You guessed it; I left my tickets and my passport in my dorm room. Freaking out just a little, I ran as fast as I could lug my suitcases.

Back over the Station Overpass,
Up the Train Station Road,
Up Trefforest Road,
And back through the Gate to campus.

Assured by my heaving chest that I would be unable to run all the way back up the hill with my suitcases in anything resembling adequate time, I visited the Foreign Student Union where the very nice and helpful ladies who ran the place were able to hold my two mammoth suitcases and my backpack while I ran back to get my important documents.

Up the Library Back Road,
Up the 13 Library Stairs,
Across the Café Quad,
Up the 24 Cafeteria Stairs,
Up the 32 curving stairs,
Up the curving access road,
Up the 12 long stairs,
Up the 16 top stairs and,
Down the stairs into my building.

Huffing and puffing but relatively okay, I get to my door and check the time, I have 60 minutes of leeway time, I’m still okay. I reach into my pocket and find, to my inescapable horror, that my keys are located in my backpack. At the bottom of the hill. Truly frenzied now I turn about.

Up the stairs out of my building,
Down the 16 top stairs,
Down the 12 long stairs,
Down the curving access road,
Down the 32 curving stairs,
Down the 24 Cafeteria stairs,
Across the Café Quad,
Down the 13 Library Stairs,
Down the Library Back Road and back,
To the Foreign Student Union near the Gate,

Unable to properly breathe, I tugged my keys from my backpack and lunged off once again. 40 minutes of leeway time left.

Up the Library Back Road again,
Up the 13 Library Stairs again,
Across the Café Quad again,
Up the 24 Cafeteria Stairs again,
Up the 32 curving stairs again,
Up the curving access road again,
Up the 12 long stairs again,
Up the 16 top stairs again,
Down the stairs into my building.
Again.

I open my door and swipe my passport from my desk, stuff my tickets into a pocket and run. 15 minutes of leeway time left.

Up the stairs out of my building again,
Down the 16 top stairs again,
Down the 12 long stairs again,
Down the curving access road again,
Down the 32 curving stairs again,
Down the 24 Cafeteria Stairs again,
Across the Café Quad again,
Down the 13 Library Stairs again,
Down the Library Back Road again,
To the Foreign Student Union near the Gate.

I step in, a horrible wreck. Grasp my bags, give a barely audible farewell and charge out the door. Lungs on fire. No time left.

Through the Gate into Treforrest,
Down Trefforest Road,
Down the Train Station Road,
Over the Station Overpass and finally,
To the train.

I am 10 minutes late. The train has left. Taking off my jacket my torso literally steams in the cold air. My lungs must really be on fire. I do my best not to collapse while I try to figure out how to salvage this. The last train from Cardiff has left 3 hours ago, I can't get to Heathrow by Train. I'll just hope to find a bus route that will get me there on time. This really feels like it can't get worse.

I grab the next train and get to the bus terminal. 30 solid minutes after departure time, I step out into the bus terminal and find myself staring at my bus, sitting calmly at the curb. The driver steps out as I shamble disbelievingly up and says “Are you Stephen? We were hoping you would come.”

The UK and I have a Love/Hate Relationship it seems.

Excerpt from a Hawaiian Newspaper

Nambwii's Birthday

My life is not fair.

It's Nambwii's Birthday Today.

I have to watch her.

Tamewii glared at his sister as she absorbed her birthday meal. I never got frosting he thought, why does she get it now? Nambwii’s fronds fluttered in pleasure, savoring the spongy texture of the cake. Tamewii always thought that she looked stupid when she did that. Nambwii was still an infant, an oblong bumpy cylinder with her ear spikes still pointed back and her two long fronds still milky white. Tamewii’s were dyed blue, the latest fashion, and beneath the color they were strong and tough. Looking past her Tamewii saw again the pile of presents that she had still to open. Life just wasn’t fair.

Nambwii got a Simulacrum Metropolis, a box of Replo-Blocks, a pet Loarock, a Pack of Collectable Thousand-Worlds Cards (that Nambwii doesn’t even know how to play!!), and a set of Robo-Pants^tm for her birthday. My life really isn’t fair. All I got was clothes and red frond-dye. Useless. The Simulacrum Metropolis was a cool toy; it had numerous settings allowing a holographic set of Monsters from about the cosmos to battle over the city. Parent said:

Nambwii can play now,

Her toys are complicated,

You must help her play.

Tamewii twitched his fronds, annoyed. Why does she get everything, why is she so important? Tamewii set the simulacrum to a fight between the Sol Monster Godzilla and the Begeni Monster Pa’ra’ulous and Nambwii fled the toy crying; watching a monster that oozed like a sore scared her. Stupid. It’s just a hologram. Parent came in, cradling the whining Nambwii in its fronds.

You have scared Nambwii,

If you are not nice to her,

you will be punished.

Tamewii apologized, keeping his fronds from twitching with annoyance. Of course it’s my fault. You gave Nambwii the simulacrum; it’s not my fault she got scared. Stupid. Once Nambwii calmed down again she tried a different toy. The replo-blocks were too complicated, always turning into stupid little things like flora and rectangular structures; Nambwii was too stupid to make anything cool. And she didn’t even understand the Loarock, she just poked it like a normal rock held on stilts and tried to absorb it. It gurgled as she tried and she again fled the room, her fronds flailing to accompany her tinny cry. More lectures and more apologies followed until she calmed down again. What a hassle. Why did it have to be a little sister? Parent thought it best to try the cards next as that would be the least likely to scare her.

Tamewii collects Thousand-World Cards, and plays with his favorite Sol-Earth Deck. He has worked long and hard to collect many of the important Ancient Sol Characters like Ben Franklin, Riechi Yamanaka, and Five of the World Leaders. He is very proud of his collection and is the envy of his school. Nambwii got 6 cards in her booster. Four were worthless; Tamewii had many of them already. One was a rare that Tamewii did not need. But the sixth was the super-rare Arvid Macenion Card. It was a Space-Age Sol card, and one that Tamewii had been looking for forever. Arvid Macenion was a space explorer in the age where the first Sol Species, Humans, achieved FTL. The Captain of the Star-Ship Awesome, he fought with the Mcflurrah Space Pirates and saved Sol a dozen times over. Life isn’t fair. Nambwii can’t use the card, why should she get it?

Nambwii looked at the card for a while, turning it back and forth to admire the holographic combat reenactment before boring of it. She stacked it carefully with the others and looked away. As if it was just another piece of plastic.

Brother please help me,

I want to try the pants now,

and I need your help.

Tamewii sighed. He pulled over the Robo-Pants^tm and lifted Nambwii into the seat. She snuggled in and flittered her fronds in excitement. How come she gets to walk like a bipedal? I never got such a cool gift at her age. This just isn’t fair. Tamewii pressed the start button and the legs extended, hauling Nambwii off the floor with a jerk. Her fronds jerked in surprise and the Robo-Pants^tm immediately dashed off at full speed. With an almighty crash the Robo-Pants^tm, carrying my wailing little sister, smashed into the wall and collapsed, dumping screaming Nambwii onto the pile of replo-blocks. Oh No! Nambwii!

Tamewii rushed to Nambwii’s side, quickly picking her up in his fronds. The Parent rushed into the room as well, and soon Nambwii was helped from the Robo-Pants^tm and set carefully on a cushion. Tamewii’s fronds bunched. Please let my little sister be okay. Nambwii whimpered and twitched her fronds in pain.

My little sister,

Oh please let you be okay,

This is all my fault.

Nambwii stilled and touched Tamewii with her frond.

I am okay Tamb,

It scared more than it hurt me.

I am all right now.

Parent nodded and smiled. Nambwii curled her fronds around her brother and whispered into his ear spike.

I love you brother,

I give the good cards to you.

Now let's go and play.

There are some benefits to having a little sister.

The Elevator Pitch

*ding*
I sighed. The elevator doors slid open, interrupting my solitude. A young man stepped into the elevator, carrying a briefcase loaded with papers.
“Evening. Headed to the Lobby?” I asked, hoping against hope.
“No, third floor please.” He responded hurriedly, not even looking up while he fidgeted his briefcase closed. Better than nothing I thought. Seven floors of company is still better than eleven. As I pressed the button he finally managed to zip the case shut.
“Thanks.” He said, looking up and smiling. Suddenly his face froze. Crap.
“Holy Shit! You’re Stephen Spielberg! Ohmygod. My name is Stephen Dickson. I’m a Huge fan!”
“Nice to meet you.” I knew what was coming next. I’d been through this three times this week already. I glanced at the floor dial, the doors were only just now closing.
“Now I’m sure you have heard this before but I have the perfect idea for a western!”
Not again. “Well, I-”
“It’s 1899, New Mexico. The town is Carlsbad.”

*ding* Ninth floor past. Please don’t let it stop.

“The Main Character is Arvid Macenion, he’s a skilled drifter/Martial Artist and he’s Immortal!”
“Well-”
“The story is a Whirlwind action/adventure/mystery with a touch of romance.

*ding* Seventh Floor. Do they Make slower elevators?
“A group of evil men from the east are taking over the country around Carlsbad, supposedly prospecting for gold.”
“I-”
“But what they are Really after is an ancient Navaho Magical circle located in the Carlsbad Caves.

*ding* Fifth Floor. Almost there…

“It only activates at the start of each century and can be used to take over the world!”
“But-”
“And the Hero Arvid has to stop them! The title is Carlsbad Dangerous. And-

*ding* Third floor. Finally! But as the doors slid open however, Stephen just kept talking!

“For the part of-”
“Sir-”
“Arvid I-”
“Sir.”
“-think that-”
“Sir!” Finally he halted, blinking in surprise. “Isn’t this your floor?” I asked, struggling to keep the exasperation out of my voice.
“Oh.” He said, glancing about. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
“I expect so.” I said dryly. The number on the Dial aught to show you that.
“Well, I should go…”
“Please.”
“Well, here is my business card.” He fumbled with his briefcase and pulled out a small, unremarkable white card, pushing it eagerly into my hands.
“I’m… In a bit of a hurry here…” I murmured. Must be civil, must be patient.
“Oh right! Right.” He stood there for a moment, bemused. “Well. My number is on the-”
“Business card. Yes. I got it here.”
“Right. Well…” He looked crestfallen. Probably just realizing how likely his chances were. “It was nice meeting you.”
“Pleasure.” I spoke evenly. C’mon, you are a foot from the doors.
“Well… When you-”
“I’m sure you have better things to do…”
“Yes. Sorry.” He stepped back, finally letting the doors close. "Bye!”
Thank god! I dropped the business card to the floor and straightened my collar as the elevator began to descend. Worst 30 seconds ever.

*ding* The elevator slowed to a stop at the second floor. Guess my celebration was a little premature.

The doors slid open to admit a tall, well muscled man with short, black hair. His clothes struck me as odd, composed of a white silken jacket, belted over similarly colored white pants. A red embroidered leather vest finished the look. Thoroughly bemused, I nodded back as he stepped in and pressed the second floor button.

As the doors closed he turned to me, smiling. “Stephen Spielberg right? He shook my hand warmly. “I remember your first little film. What was it called…” He looked up and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Um…”
He snapped his fingers, issuing a sharp crack, startling me. “The Last Gunfight. The nice little 8 mm you made back in 1958. I always thought you would make if far. Congratulations.”
“I…”

*ding* The elevator doors opened and the stranger strolled out.

“Wait!” He turned back, smiling coolly as before. “I didn’t get your name.”
“Oh, my apologies.” he grinned. The elevator doors started sliding closed. “The name is Arvid Macenion. Glad to have met you.”
For a good five seconds I stared at the closed door, the smooth elevator again dropping towards the lobby. As the elevator slid to a halt I bent over and picked up the business card. Never a bad idea to hold onto a business card I thought. At least this time.