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A Short Employment

The elevator doors opened to a spartan furnished ante room. The fluorescent lightreflecting off the stark white walls, ceiling and floor overpowered his eyesight, causing

him to squint to see. A few metal chairs and a table or two were all the amenities of

comfort. The black haired man quickly stepped out as the elevator doors began to close.His gray business suite contrasted greatly with the white dcor. His pupils had contracted

enough so the reflected lighting no longer hurt his eyes or impaired his vision. There

appeared to be no other exit other than the elevator from which he had exited. A mirrorwas on the opposite wall from the elevator. Its probably one of those windows so the

person or persons could spy on those within the room he now stood, the man thought.

Ah, Dr. Parishrama, we have been expecting you. Please, have a seat while I get

Dr. Robertson to welcome you, said a voice from hidden speakers that confirmed hissuspicious thoughts of the mirror.

It is good to see I am in the right place, Dr. Parishrama said in an accent that

betrayed his Indian heritage.

Dr. Budhil Bunane Parishrama sat down in one of the metal chairs made ofimitation black leather padding. He thought and felt it to be insufficient for adequate

comforting for any length of time. As he waited he thought how strange this placed hefound himself, barely a week past he walked across the stage at his commencement

ceremony from San Diego State University and received his Doctorate in Evolutionary

Biology. Of course even that was more than a son of textile weavers of Indore, India

should have hoped for. He rummaged through and glanced at the magazines titles on oneof the tables. Not a single title jumped out as remotely interesting enough to adventure,

so he opened his briefcase on the floor next to his feet. He pulled out a notebook and

turned to the last page of writing and began to read so he could recall where he had leftoff. He was endeavoring to expand his theory on xenobiology of his dissertation. His

mentor had suggested that it was worthy of publishing though it did need work so thosenot of the academia could understand the meaning.A soft hiss grabbed his attention and he glanced up to see a door opening. A short

older man walked through wearing the stereotypic white lab coat that hung to his knees.

The rest of his attire consisted of black leather shoes and hunter green trousers. Dr. TomRobertson, Budhil knew on sight since he is renowned in the field of biology. The older

doctor must be in his seventies though his strong gate did not reflect his age. His gray

hair had retreated and left the dome of his head bare but the sides still covered and that

grown long to his shoulders.Dr. Parishrama, it is good to see you. I hope the trip here was not unpleasant?

asked Dr. Robertson sounding quite genial in nature and extending his hand in greeting.

Budhil clasped hands and was surprised at the strength of the handshake. It wasnot bad at all. Though I was somewhat bewildered while looking up this town on Google

maps, he responded.

One would think so, since there is no obvious large laboratory structure aboveground. Please follow me to my office so we can discuss this job offer. Dr. Robertson

stretched his arm toward the opened door.

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Budhil replaced his notebook, grabbed his briefcase and followed Tom Robertson

through the door. A uniformed military person stood on the other side of the door

holding a lanyard attached to a bright pink card stating Visitor. Escort Required.Budhil placed the lanyard over his head as the soldier searched through his

briefcase, which he retrieved after the soldier had finished his inspection and followed

Dr. Robertson down a gray metal corridor where pipes and electrical cables ran on bothwalls and the ceiling. At specific intervals along the corridors length fluorescent light

fixtures were mounted providing barely adequate lighting. Their footsteps echoed off the

metal decking while Budhil noticed the occasional security camera the tracked theirprogress along the corridor. A hundred feet down the corridor, another similar one

intersected it perpendicular and Tom Robertson turned right. Budhil followed close on

his heels. They did not stay long on this corridor when they stopped at metal door. The

sign above the door identified the room beyond as Admin.Dr. Robertson opened the door and waved Budhil through. The room constructed

of similar material as the corridor they had just left. Desks filled the room though

presently not all were occupied. He stopped in front of a desk where a uniformed female

soldier sat.Yeoman, this is Dr. Parishrama, I need him to sign a nondisclosure agreement

before we proceed any further.Yes, Dr. Robertson, here you go, she said withdrawing a form from a right hand

drawer of her desk.

Thank you, he said as he grabs the form and turned to Budhil. Dr. Parishrama,

this is our standard Sensitive Compartmented Information Nondisclosure Statement orDD Form 1847-1. You need to read and sign this stating that for the rest of your life you

will not reveal the location of this facility. Do you understand?

Yes, Dr. Robertson, I understand, said Budhil as he quickly scanned thedocument and signed the bottom of the form.

Good. I need you to understand that I can tell you no more without you making

a conscious decision. Yet, if you are interested in finding empirical data that might helpvindicate your theories in your dissertation and your standing amongst your peers then all

you need to say is yes, and we will continue. However, if you feel that this is far too

much and your proof of your theories and your standing are not important than just sayno and I will escort you back out and that is that.

Budhils eyebrows dropped in thought as he weighed the pros and cons, but in the

end he said, Yes, I wish to continue.

Fantastic! exclaimed Dr. Robertson. He grabbed Budhils right shoulder incamaraderie. This way, then.

They walked beside the yeomans desk heading for a door in the rear of the office.

Dr. Robertson spoke as he walked. Budhil unknown to the general public and somecountries entirely we have been fighting a war against extraterrestrial invaders. Yeah, I

can understand a certain amount of incredulity, and the UFO sightings reported in the

news and those science fiction shows based on some historical events are in fact quitetrue.

True. You mean that Drakes equation is valid and life exists in the universe.

Life does exist, however at present we have only seen a species with several

permutations as to their form and abilities. From a small creature able to insert a host

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into a human that almost instantaneously takes over the humans consciousness. A short

while later, perhaps twenty hours the infected human secretes a pinkish colored resin that

encapsulates the victim in a cocoon like structure.So you are saying that there are creatures roaming Earth and taking over

people? he said in an astonished voice. Both men stepped through the door at the back

of the office.Not roaming free as the native life of Earth. At present aircraft fight in the

atmosphere with occasional landings or crash landings where armed men go in and

retrieve the bodies or sometimes they must fight the creatures that survive. We arelooking for a few gifted scientists to help us develop new weapons to combat these aliens.

We have lost more men than the aliens have lost.

Wait what comes out of the cocoon? Budhil he said as curiosity won over his

disbelief.Ah, a real mean thing. A worm of quite large size, slow moving, yet, quite

vicious. It has a gaping maw with many teeth to devour its victim. But the teeth are not

what is of concern, rather it is this acid-enzyme fluid filled with microorganisms that is

literally spit out through pores spaced along its entire body. How it targets I have no ideasince the brain is rather small.

May I see one Budhils questioned was interrupted as sirens began to wail.This is a priority one emergency. The base is under attack and believed to have

been infiltrated by alien troops. All non-combative personnel are required to move to

shelters, an authoritarian voice shouted over the public announcing system.

Budhil follow me. We must get to the shelter and it is some distance from here,Dr. Robertson said as he grabbed Budhils arm and pulled him along the corridor they

had entered from the door to the office.

Men and women were running this way and that some in uniforms and carryingweapons some that Budhil had never seen before and others dressed either in laboratory

coats or civilian suits. Some of the civilians portrayed just controlled panic as they ran

along. Barely over the sound of running feet, cursing voices, and heavy breathing; wasweapons fire heard from the direction they had come.

How much farther, Tom? inquired Budhil through gasps for air.

Two or three hundred feet, not far now, Replied Tom Robertson.Both of them collided with the people in front of them. Some were shouting to

keep going yet the ones in front either stood their ground or tried to push their way in the

opposite direction. Over the top of the heads in front Tom and Budhill could see a large

purple creature ahead with crisscrossing bluish tubes or veins throughout its body. Itshead was curved and appeared to have no neck whatsoever and its arms attached directly

to its head. Its eyes wear small with no eyelids and its mouth was large containing many

pointed teeth. It had only two, what appeared to be talons on its hands and feet. In itshands it carried some sort of object.

Budhil lets go, that thing will kill us, said Tom as he frantically pulled Budhil

along they way they had just come. Glancing over his shoulder Budhil could see peoplerunning with them as some fell to the ground coated in red blood or in pieces. Loud

barks that hurt the ears came from the weapon of the creature.

Hurry Budhil, we have to go to the other shelter.

Why do we not escape the way I came in? Budhil asked breathlessly.

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In situations like this the whole complex is locked down and no one can leave.

Rounding a bend in the corridor they both skidded to a stop. In the corridor ahead

stood a short creature with no arms, thick legs supporting the bent body. Its body was ofteal color with heavy pink veins running along the entire length of its body. The smallish

head had two gray eyes and a reddish pink mouth full of teeth. It squawked once,

reminding one of a goose and ran toward them. It moved incredibly fast. Both menturned to run but realized neither they nor anyone else would escape. Budhil had no

desire to be eaten alive. Barely five feet from the two doctors the creature exploded in a

greenish white fireball that swept down the corridor in both directions and consumed allalong the corridor and turning whatever into ash.

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