Story: First contact

I was waiting for the next train back to my home, when a confident, gentle voice from behind told me: "Excuse me, I would like to see you naked." A bit stunned I turned around and started to express my outrage: "What ...", only to look up to one of the aliens.

It was just a short way over the border. Delivery drones weren't yet allowed in the human-only zones, so I had been asked to bring the special package to the next station in the mixed territory. I have never been over there, but my superior tempted me with a huge bonus. I hadn't heard any dangerous about the Tomocs. Frankly, I didn't know anything about them beyond the general knowledge. They had arrived at Earth only a decade ago and were hesitant to enforce any contact against our will. Well, we weren't even that united back then, as far as my history lessons told me. Needless to say, it was all different from any fiction human culture had produced. They were friendly as any alien race could ever be, offering us technology and trade piece by piece, in exchange for possible peace among ourselves and with them, as well as cultural exchange and mutual treaties. In the current state everyone on Earth decided to live in a human-only zone or to dare a life with the aliens in one of the many intercultural zones. Though those areas offered better jobs and standards of living, they also burdened people with a lot of challenges. My conservative parents had chosen to remain with the traditional way of life. I hadn't yet thought about it since my eighteens birthday a month ago. Suddenly I stood here, confronted unprepared with an alien, already troubled with the first sentence.

Though my body height is below human average, they are all taller than us humans. They are very athletic, intelligent and educated. Besides their four arms and various details, they are humanoid. I couldn't figure out my opposite's gender because their gender's fashion and hairstyle doesn't differ. But the most concerning fact is that they outnumber us by a trillion and several colonized planets, not to mention their vast technological advancement. Their main statement is that it was all about diversity as the source of a capable society. Many people are still afraid of them and don't want to have anything to do with them.

I looked up the alien's face and couldn't find words. Possibly my jaws had dropped, but I was too distracted to notice. The voice continued: "Of course, I offer a predatory compensation. I have been watching you since you arrived at the station. A hundred world dollar?" I gulped. What was it talking about? It turned its head towards the destination display, and then back to me with a smile: "Oh, is this your first travel out of the human-only zone?" I nodded, still confused. "That explains your reaction. I didn't mean to offend you. Humans around us have accommodated to this behavior of my people's traditions. May I tell you about it?" While I considered to reject and go right home, I heard the alarms of closing train doors behind me. Heck, I was glad that the schedule was tight enough to have me return right away. But now I could just wait for an hour or use the time to learn something so that I wouldn't be that overwhelmed next time. The alien even added an extra: "Would you like to have anything from the shop over there? You are invited, of course. It seems I have caused you to miss your train. I am sorry about that." I deeply inhaled and tried to relax, returning its smile: "Alright." Walking in her sphere, I felt safe and protected. "You have a cute voice.", it told me on the way, and I heard a roar from its throat.

During our dialogue, it frequently encouraged me to order another drink, or some unknown meal or snack I was curiously looking at. Most of the time, it spoke about its way of flirting: "When I see someone of interest, I watch the person for a while. If I consider it weak but beautiful compared to me, I approach it, asking for a closer look at its natural body, to examine it further and strengthen or lose my interest. Since I consider myself stronger, I offer financial or other compensation for that favor. My target may bargain for a higher price, trying to make me reevaluate the intensity of my interest. If we both agree, it's a simple exchange, which opens the opportunity for further, more special offers. It's a reasonable trade of vulnerable openness and trust for protection and care." The alien gave me some time to grasp that concept. I watched its bodily details, gestures, and mimics, while I thought over it and it watched me.

Then I changed the topic, asking more about the alien race and culture, that I probably could have looked up anytime at home. I became aware how I fondled with my hair and touched my skin. And then I asked: "A hundred world dollars you said?" I looked around. There weren't many people in the shop, but I was very concerned to get naked here in public, even for that amount of money. "Does it have to be right here?", I asked. It smiled victoriously: "We can go to my place if you like."


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