Chapter 1: Washed Ashore in a Strange Land

"So what are your plans for the afternoon?" Melissa Evens asked as her kids ate lunch at their well-worn kitchen table. It had been another long morning of chores on the family ranch. Their day started just after dawn performing the daily chores, but the afternoons were for the extra jobs required to keep the ranch in good working order. "With these clouds moving in, we're going to get some heavy rains. You'd better get started working the fence line. You won't be able to dig post holes once the ground gets wet."

Melissa didn't look like the typical rancher. Despite her calloused hands, the 40-year-old mother was trim, blonde and attractive. She'd helped her husband maintain the ranch, but balanced her time between ranch and maintaining her looks for her husband, which he appreciated. Once he died of a sudden onset heart attack, she'd continued the daily beauty treatments and yoga exercises for her own sake. She also didn't date. With just her and her kids running the ranch, she had no intention of letting some two-bit hustler take it over because he managed to woo her.

"Geez, Mom," Josh said, waving his forkful of food as he spoke, "I can't get much accomplished before we'll have to stop again. I was hoping to handle that when we can do the whole thing at one time."

Josh, short for Joshua, was a sophomore at Northern Arizona University and wasn't used to working quite so hard when not on the ranch. Although the school liked to stick the newer kids with the early classes, he typically woke at 7:30 AM for an 8:00 class, instead of starting work at 5:00 AM here at home.

Melissa sighed, putting her hands down on the table. "Joshua, it has to be done, and it's better to do it when you can rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity. Which, may I remind you, never comes," Melissa lectured her son for what felt like the thousandth time. He'd never learned to apply himself and was always looking for some excuse to shirk his duty. His sisters, on the other hand, hardly ever complained about the work, despite volunteering for much more onerous tasks than she ever required of Josh. "For having been raised on a ranch, you've never quite grasped the concept that work doesn't wait for you. There are tasks to finish and you do them when they need doing, not when you feel like it," she finished with a barely concealed scowl.

"The problem is Josh doesn't think the farm is good enough for him," Josh's 17-year-old younger sister, Janet, responded with a sneer. Both she and her older sister, Francis, had heard this routine before. Josh was habitually unmotivated. He had to be forced to do the tasks he knew had to be completed every day, as if they simply weren't necessary. It frustrated her because she worked hard and applied herself. Janet knew what she wanted and was willing to do what was necessary to get there. "Not only does he dislike working for and contributing to the family, but he's always had a superiority complex. He thinks he's better than everyone else," she accused.

Despite having the looks to skate by on her beauty, Janet dedicated herself to getting ahead in school. She apprenticed with a local vet and already had plans to study veterinary medicine in college. Like her mother, she was relatively short, thin and gorgeous, but she hid her beauty behind a no-nonsense pair of glasses and plain clothes. She dressed up only on special occasions, not wanting to be distracted by her high school classmates constantly hitting on her. Although she flirted with a few guys at school and had dated sporadically, she planned to do most of her dating during college when there was more likelihood of finding someone willing to put up with a veterinarian rancher.

The accusation that Josh had an insufferable attitude cut him deep to the bone. While he prided himself on his intellect and his unusual friends, he'd always had troubles getting along with most people for just that reason. In this region everyone affects an 'aw, shucks' attitude, even though many of the people he knew were quite bright. But instead of taking pride in their intelligence, they played it down with false modesty as if ashamed of their ideas. It rankled Josh and fed into his discomfort with his life here.

"It's not that it isn't good enough for me," Josh responded, dropping his fork in frustration at being picked on by his mother and sisters once again. "It's just that ranching isn't what I see for myself." He swept his long sun-bleached hair out of his eyes and paused to collect himself before continuing. "I can't picture dedicating my life to working the same dusty plot of land for the rest of my days. I'd like to accomplish something, and I just don't see myself achieving much here. I mean, there isn't even anyone else here. They've all had enough sense to move away a long time ago."

"Ha! It's not like you'll accomplish anything anywhere else," Francis responded. As the eldest, she'd always taken on all the ranch's heavy jobs, trying to impress her hard-working parents while taking care of her younger siblings. Naturally, she felt the same about her brother's lackadaisical attitude as her mother. "You spend all your time getting high at school and running around with your friends. You're barely passing. If you really wanted to accomplish something, you'd apply yourself. You haven't even picked a major yet!"

"It isn't unusual for students to be undecided about what they want to study," Josh responded defensively. They'd fought over this same issue many times. Both his sisters already had their lives planned out. Janet was studying to be a vet while still in high school so she could help out on the ranch while also bringing in extra income from nearby farms. Francis, always a bit of a tom-boy, wanted to branch out, so she dove headfirst into the male-oriented world of electrical engineering. She hoped to apply the knowledge by installing a solar farm and wind generators to power the ranch, making it more self-sufficient. Everything they planned centered around helping the family's ranch. They couldn't comprehend that it just held no interest for Josh.

"Yes, but most students who waffle about what to 'do with their lives' end up doing nothing," his mother responded. "The vast majority of kids today end up achieving little, which is where I'm afraid you're heading. It's one thing to complain, but you're not even making any plans."

Josh sighed theatrically, tired of defending himself. "I'm sorry, but I just haven't found what motivates me yet. I'll find it eventually, but I'll tell you what; it isn't working on a dead-end ranch out in the middle of nowhere. I want to achieve something that'll make a difference, something more important than simply eking out a living just getting by."

"Listen, young man," his mother answered sharply, jabbing his brawny chest with her finger, "your father and I took over this ranch from your grandparents, and it's been good to us. It feeds people, it's provided for you and your sisters, and it is good honest hard work, something you need to learn."

"Mom, I know all about hard work," Josh replied, taking on a quieter, less argumentative tone. "You've drilled it into me my entire life. This ranch was the dream of you and Dad. You chose this life, and I'm glad it means so much to you. But I never chose it for myself. I'm still looking for what I want, and as much as it upsets you, I don't think spending the rest of my life stuck here in the middle of nowhere is going to get me anywhere."

"Your sisters don't have a problem with it," Melissa reminded her son. "And they haven't let it limit them either. They've branched out, discovering things that challenge them which also benefit the family. You talk a mean tale about 'finding yourself', but until you do, you need to do your part. This family depends on you. Since your father died we've had to struggle to keep this place going, and frankly, your continual whining doesn't keep the place operating on a daily basis."

"Look, I'm not afraid of hard work," Josh repeated, his voice once more rising in pitch. He was tired of being blamed for not being happy with his life, and if his family wanted to make a fight of it, then he'd take them on. Still, he struggled to keep his voice calm and his tone reasonable. "I've put in plenty of work around here. But if this isn't how I see my life unfolding, you can't expect me to be satisfied with it. This is your dream—a dream which killed Dad I might add—but it's not mine. When I find what I want to do I'll work hard to achieve it, but so far I just haven't discovered it.

"Yeah, right, as if you've ever done anything but complain," Janet commented as she stood up, washing her plate and silverware. She normally tried to stay out of these family arguments about Josh, but she was tired of listening to him bitch about what the rest of the family worked so hard for.

"All right, this discussion is getting us nowhere," Melissa declared, standing up and putting an end to the family squabbling. They'd been over this ground before and she knew they weren't going to settle it now. "How about you get out there and start work on the fence while you still can, and maybe you can contemplate what you really want to do with your life while you're actually accomplishing something?"

Josh swallowed his remaining complaints with the last of his juice. He knew the women in his family. They were just as bull-headed as the cattle they raised. They were so focused on the family business they couldn't see or understand anything else.

Josh put his stuff away and headed for the door, his sisters falling in behind him. Working the fence line is something which requires several hands, and while they relied on Josh to do the heavy work of digging the post holes and manhandling the posts into position, they all worked equally as hard at it.

Melissa regarded her kids as they headed out the door. For all his complaining, Josh was right. When it came to it, he got his work done, but he just wasn't satisfied with the work itself. His sisters had worked to make the family business their own by figuring out how to adapt their dreams to their situation, but she knew Josh would never be happy doing what the others found so important. She just hoped he'd find something important enough to motivate him to succeed.

Letting the screen door slam behind him, Josh took a deep breath of the dry Arizona country air, allowing his tensions to drain from him. His family made him crazy, but he'd learned long ago to let conflicts go so he could do the needed work properly.

As much as he complained, there was a lot to like about this region of the country. The family ranch stretched over two thousand acres of scrubland at the base of the mountains. Entirely too dusty and dry to raise crops, it worked for raising cattle, as long as they got the occasional rain to keep the dirt from blowing away. Growing up, most of Josh's friends were from the nearby Navajo reservation in the mountains overlooking the ranch. Many Native Americans used the local schools and came here for the few jobs available in the region while remaining close to their homeland. Josh and his family had learned a healthy respect for the environment and life in general from them. Life, like nature itself, was something you couldn't own. You were only given a piece of it to watch over during your lifetime, and you did your best to preserve it for those who follow you, because otherwise it would be gone in no time.

That had always formed the basis of Josh's philosophy. Having adopted it as his own life mantra years ago, it was a view which frequently got him into trouble. Living in a solid Republican state, he liked their idea of limited government because he'd clearly seen what happens when government is left to its own devices. It always overreached, taking whatever it wanted leaving only what the wealthy and powerful could fight to protect; meanwhile the poor and voiceless were simply swept aside. However, that perspective also proved difficult, even in this conservative enclave, especially given Josh's 'in your face' attitude.

Josh found the Republican style of government overreach just as onerous. Whereas the Democrats tended to create bureaucracies, at least they professed a desire to help people. The Republicans, though, interfered not just in what people could do with their own businesses, but into their lives and their bedrooms. They sought to dictate who people could love, what they could do and which morality they were obligated to follow, even when they didn't believe in it themselves. Frankly, Josh didn't like either perspective. They both wanted unlimited power to expand, and he felt it necessary to resist on both fronts, even if he was largely powerless to do so.

As a result he developed the reputation of a troublemaker. Though he listened to the more conservative news stations everyone in the region relied on, he frequently argued with people over what they said. He also wasn't afraid to stage his own protests, showing his displeasure over whichever form of government intervention was currently constraining the people he knew. He realized his attitude would be difficult to maintain if he moved to a more populous metropolitan area. It was already proving so at his college, but he knew he couldn't remain here on the ranch like his siblings planned. No, despite the freedom he enjoyed, ranching was too constraining for him. He wanted more out of life.

He appreciated his solitude, spending his time reading or fantasizing about better things, but life here was lonely. Their nearest neighbors, the McCrearys—whose daughter just happened to be his ex-girlfriend—lived several miles away. Now, in addition to the difficulty of getting together on a regular basis, he felt awkward doing so, leaving him feeling that much more isolated.

Letting those concerns go, Josh scanned the fencing dividing the property line. They had a lot of distance to cover and he wanted to determine how much time they had. If it was going to rain he wanted to be closer to home. But if it held off, he'd prefer to deal with the fences further out.

While scanning the horizon, he heard an odd whistling sound—surprisingly loud—farther to the west, close to the base of the mountains the ranch abutted. Turning towards the disturbance, Josh wondered what would cause such a sound in such a peaceful setting when his eyes located the source amidst the flat dusty terrain: a rising dust storm.

Shading his eyes, he tried to study it, but all he could see was a mass of spinning brown dust. Then he saw something darker slowly descending into the swirling cloud. He assumed that was what kicked up the dust.

"What was that?" Melissa asked, stepping out of the house and approaching him from behind.

"We don't know," Janet responded, adjusting her glasses as she pointed off to the side. "It seemed to have come from over there."

"No, it's there, out near the cliffs," Josh corrected her, pointing in the correct direction. His eyesight was good, but he assumed they just hadn't noticed it yet. "Something seems to be over there, and if there's something that large here, it just might be serious."

"A dust devil?" Fran asked, confused about what he was describing.

"No, it's too wide and it doesn't extend up very far," he explained. "Besides, I saw something generating the dust cloud. It looked more like a helicopter trying to land, but we'd have heard a helicopter approaching."

"I can't see anything other than the dust now," his mother commented.

"I saw it earlier, but I couldn't tell just what it was," Josh told her. "It was too far off, so I might have been imagining it, but..."

"Well, if you think someone is in trouble, you'd best get out there and check," Melissa told him. "You investigate while I stay here and get the first aid kit prepared, just in case."

Josh was already heading towards the back to get his pickup when Janet called. "I'm coming with you, just let me get Chestnut. After all, if it's nothing, which it probably is, I can use her to work the fence line." Josh stopped to consider, then shook his head.

"No, we'd better use the pickup. It'll get there faster. It'll take too long to wrangle the horses. If necessary I'll bring you back, but I want to make sure it's not something major first."

"Well hold on then," Fran said. "As long as you're heading out, I'm coming along. It's probably nothing and there's no use all of us wasting our time. If nothing else, I can start setting the fence line while you're busy ferrying Janet back and forth."

Janet rewarded her sister by sticking her tongue out at her, but otherwise let the comment pass. She was more curious about what was occurring as it wasn't often surprises like this happened out here in the middle of nowhere.

The drive out took some time, during which they worried what they'd discover. Once they arrived, it was difficult to make anything out, as most of the dust had settled. Josh located a small ridge of recently displaced soil. Climbing out of the pickup, Josh and his sisters approached a small depression rimmed by the just created ridge. Cresting it, they observed a large bullet shaped black object. Its top was open, slid back along its length, revealing a dark interior. A lone cow, just as curious as they, was nosing one end of it.

"What is it?" Francis asked, peering around her brother, who took the lead.

"I don't know," Josh answered, looking it over. "The best I can guess is a military aircraft of some sort, possibly a drone of some kind. It's pretty sophisticated and very professional, but it has no markings of any kind."

"Yeah, and there aren't any military installations anywhere near here," Fran reminded him.

Janet, seeing something, reached out and touched Josh's arm, alerting him. Looking again, Josh noticed someone inside the capsule. His sisters followed him a few steps behind as he approached the strange craft for a better look. Nudging the cow aside, Josh peered in. Inside sat one of the strangest creatures he'd ever seen. Its skin was mixed copper and red, covered with strange markings. It wore some sort of clothing which appeared to be damp, apparently from sweat. It was leaning back, as if exhausted and unable to move on its own. It was also wheezing for breath, making a high-pitched, almost indecipherable whine.

Janet and Fran gasped, stopping to gawk, but Josh didn't pause. All he saw was someone in distress. Without thinking he moved to help. Josh knelt, reaching over the side attempting to lift the strange creature from the small craft, but found it incredibly heavy. Motioning Fran forward and explaining his plans, they both struggled, lifting the ship's occupant out of the craft. Man, was it heavy! Josh had no idea how to reference it, as it didn't look either male or female. He knew the convention was to always refer to someone of indeterminate sexuality as 'he', but he felt reluctant referring to something this alien as 'him'.

Once out in the light, Josh and his sisters could observe more of the creature. It was indeed sweating heavily, rivulets tracing through the brown dust coating its skin. It had no hair of any kind, only colorful featherlike 'fur' decorating its skin. No 'little green man' as so often portrayed in the movies, it was oddly shaped, kind of from the bottom up. It was bigger lower to the ground and got thinner the taller he/she/it rose. It had four legs, situated not like normal human's paired legs, but one on each side of its body. They were thick with joints that moved in a crablike fashion, extending away from its body. It also had four arms, though smaller than its legs, each appendage ending in four thin claw-like fingers. It looked like it could scuttle in any direction like a crab. It breathed in heavy gasps and shivered. Josh's confusion about its gender was settled, as it bore four smallish breasts.

Setting her on the ground, Josh considered what to do next. Fran backed up, looking skittish, while Janet stepped forward to observe her closer up. She tried speaking, but they couldn't understand as it sounded more like the barking of a seal than anything else. Seeing as they couldn't understand her, she stopped trying to resist, letting them decide what to do on their own.

"Jeez, Josh, what the hell did we stumble onto?" Janet asked, her voice trembling.

"I have no idea," Josh responded, sounding surprisingly calm, "but she looks incredibly sick. We've got to get her to the house, in bed and under covers."

"Are you crazy?" Fran asked. "We don't know what it is, what it might do, or whether it's dangerous or not."

"Well, clearly she's intelligent. She's dressed in some kind of uniform, in an advanced ship and was trying to communicate with us."

"Uh, if it's sick, should we even be touching it?" asked Janet, the aspiring vet and the only one with any medical training. Meanwhile the cow, who Josh recognized as Bessie 3, edge forward and sniffed at the alien.

"Please, Bessie, give her some space. Not everyone wants a wet nose jabbing them in the face," Josh complained, shoving the large animal aside. However, it wasn't quite so easy. With an animal that big, he had to edge it in one direction and wait for it to get around to moving on its own. But it did give them time to consider the situation.