The Fifth Housemate: Part 1

"As if you can drink more than me!" scoffed Melinda. "I've had at least eight pints tonight, and how many have you had?"

"I've been mixing," said Greg. "It's not the quantity, it's the variety."

"And you don't half take your time drinking them. A sip here, a sip there. Everyone knows drinking quickly's harder."

"You have a carb-rich diet, though. Most of what you drink gets absorbed by the pasta."

"Only one way to determine the winner," said Jeremy, ever the peacekeeper. "Competition time! Come on, hand over the cash, I'm choosing the drinks ..."

Laoren quietly slipped out of the pub, after a quick excuse, and headed round the corner to the local park. Although she liked her housemates, they could be trying company at times. Even Jeremy, her closest friend of the group, was sometimes drawn into Mel's and Greg's banter.

She sat down on a bench, overlooking the playing field. She liked sitting here during the day, watching families, dog-walkers and joggers, but she loved how peaceful it was at night.

Spa-

Laoren frowned. Then remembered she'd had a bit to drink, and relaxed. She looked around at the trees, swaying in the gentle breeze. She rubbed her face, noting with some delight that she'd lost some sensitivity in her fingers.

Sometimes, she'd be able to get drunk enough to enjoy these nights out, but by and large, she wasn't that keen on drinking. She preferred the park to the pub, preferred walks to parties.

It began to rain lightly. Laoren smiled, and looked up into the sky. She liked the rain.

-ace-

There was something a bit unnerving about the park tonight. Laoren considered going back.

-ip.

No. What was that? Something in the corner of her eye.

-shi-

There. A black flash. Something near the trees. Laoren froze, keeping her eyes peeled, ignoring the rain that was now soaking her hair and clothes.

-pace-

There! Blinking in and out of existence. But surely ... The area was empty. How could something that large disappear so quickly?

-ship.

She stood up, and walked towards the area. No, there was nothing there.

Not even rain.

She walked closer. She could clearly see the woods behind, and the grass underneath. She could still feel the rain pouring down over her. But up above, several feet above her head height, the rain simply stopped, and bounced off. And then the shape shimmered again, blinking briefly into existence.

Spaceship.

Laoren's eyes widened, and she backed away.

At her eye level, she had an impression of a royal blue chamber, as a ramp descended from nowhere.

And down the ramp, walked a figure.

The figure wore a domed, cylindrical helmet of dark green, with seams down the sides and a narrow slit at eye level. They wore a firmly-padded suit, intricately designed in green and silver, and a thick navy cloak attached to the back.

The figure walked calmly towards Laoren, and held out a gloved hand.

"Good evening," said the voice – deep and gruff, with a trace of an asian accent. "My name is Trenavass Taffa."

Laoren stared. The so-called Trenavass Taffa looked down towards his outstretched hand.

"I learned that you ... hold and shake another's hand as a greeting. Is this not correct?"

"Sorry," said Laoren, snapping out of her trance at last. "Sorry, yes."

She took Trenavass's hand and shook it.

"That was rude of me," she said. "I'm really sorry."

"I think I see," said Trenavass, speaking slowly as though trying to understand some alien concept. "To refuse a hand-shake is ... not courteous?"

"No," said Laoren, blushing. "I'm afraid not."

"But you were ..." Trenavass clutched his chest. "You were taken by surprise. You've never seen a spaceship like this before."

"I've never seen any spaceship before," said Laoren reproachfully.

"I see," said Trenavass. "I was under the impression that your people had ... Wait. I apologise. I should have told you more about myself. Now I have been ... rood."

He removed a wooden device from his pocket; it was shaped like a figure of eight, and had two large white buttons on it – also made of wood. He pressed and held one of the buttons, and the ramp behind him raised again, becoming a part of the invisible spaceship, until it had disappeared from sight completely.

"I am from another planet," explained Trenavass. "I know it as Byllk, and it is part of a star system that you know as Alpha Centauri."

"You're an alien," said Laoren.

"That's right," said Trenavass.

"But you speak English."

"I learned," said Trenavass. "We managed to intercept satallite signals from your planet many years ago, and we've learned a lot about your culture. Indeed, it was a subject I was very keen to learn about, and I hope that my English is by now quite functional."

"How did you learn it?" asked Laoren, lost in this visitor's speech, oblivious to the rain.

"It is taught to some," he said. "Scientists, academics, even royalty – the alien language is considered highly sophisticated, far above our own native languages."

"So, hang on," said Laoren. "Are you the first? You say you've learned through satellite signals. Are you the first visitor from Alpha Centauri?"

"I believe so," said Trenavass. "We did not know whether our ships – or our bodies – would survive in Earth's atmosphere. By all reports, your atmosphere is quite similar to ours, but we have always feared your weakening ozone layer."

"Global warming ruins Earth tourism," grinned Laoren. "Journalists would go mad for that one."

"Anyway, I apologise for cutting this conversation short, but I'm afraid I have a problem," said Trenavass. "I need a place to stay while my spaceship recovers."

"Of course," said Laoren, excited. "I mean, I'd have to check with my housemates ..."

"Would it not be possible to keep things low-key?" asked Trenavass. "Although if you know that your housemates are to be trusted ..."

"You might be right," said Laoren, imagining trying to keep Mel and Greg quiet. "We'll work something out."

-10001-

Laoren unlocked her front door. She'd phoned Jeremy to let him know she was heading home. She entered, and turned on the lights. Trenavass followed.

"So, why are you here?" asked Laoren. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Gathering information," said Trenavass. "I wish to meet with Earth representatives later this ... this week."

Laoren passed the stairs, and opened the door to her room. They walked in.

"Why wait?"

"My spaceship must recover. I'd like to be able to leave immediately if any problems arise," he explained.

"How will it recover?" Laoren laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm full of questions."

"I understand," said Trenavass. "I was the same when I heard about your planet. I devoured all the information I could get. My spaceship, as it happens, can detect and absorb carbon emissions in the air, and convert them into fuel."

"That's incredible," said Laroen.

"Unfortunately, it does take time."

Laoren looked around the room.

"Do you sleep in a bed?"

"Of sorts," Trenavass grinned.

"You can have mine, then."

Laoren burrowed under her bed and found a sleeping bag, which she laid out on the floor. She found her pyjamas, and decided to head for the bathroom to get changed. By the time she got back, Trenavass was already in her bed, still wearing his suit.

Laoren didn't sleep much that night.