“Return to base.”
“Are we teleporting or transporter or something?”
“Oh, no, it’s a quick flight. Maybe ten minutes. Just sit back and relax.”
“Relax? I am going to explode.”
“Eventually, maybe. Then again, maybe not. Our specialists can work miracles.”
“Can they heal a broken heart?” I asked as the car levitated off the ground,
“I’m not sure they have ever tried to do that.”
“It was more of a lament about my life,” I groaned as I looked out the window, we were flying higher by the second.
“I do know they once tried to understood a being your planet refers to as the Flatwood Monster. They’re really from Pluto.”
“What happened?”
“It did not end well,” he replied as a third arm came out of his coat.
“Shit! You have three arms?”
“How else can one fly at sub-light speed?”
The car accelerated and there was a blinding flash of light.
“There may be some sensory disturbances as we reach maximum velocity.”
“No kidding. So, when were you going to tell me you had three arms?”
“Soory?”
“I mean, that guy at the diner and you seem to have a past. Is Mars really planning to conquer Earth?”
“If we had, Donna, would you have known?”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” I replied and looked at him.
“Truthfully, Donna, Mars does not have any intention of invading Earth. We are now there to observe, collect information and at times save a few species that are almost gone.”
“I suppose you have a Tyrannosaurus Rex or two running free in a sanctuary?”
“We have forty-two, and yes, they are in various parks within the central Martian dome.”
“Okay, a dome?”
“Several, actually.”
“And our rovers and probes can’t see them?”
“We’ve allowed your governments to see what we want them to. You, Donna, will be the first human to see the truth.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Taking you to Mars?”
“Yeah, I mean, if I’m a weapon of sorts, you’d want to get rid of me or disarm the bomb, right?”
“You are partially correct, Donna. You are a weapon of sorts. Considering the Venusian scientist who did this to you has, no doubt, been detected by his people, they, in turn, will want to find you. It was best to get you off-planet. We will attempt to, disarm you, as you say.” He replied as he gave a ‘thumbs up’ with his third hand.
I could only give a weak smile.

The engines whined down as the red planet came into view. I leaned forward onto what I thought at one time was a windshield and felt a shock.

“Atmospheric shields. Please try not to touch it.”

“You could have warned me,” I replied.

“This is central command. Please identify yourself.”

“This is agent....” His voice went into a high-pitch squeal and I Immediately covered my ears.

Another screech filled the ship, louder and shriller.

“We’ve been given clearance.”

“That didn’t sound friendly.”

“It was not. Prepare for descent.”

“What should I call you?” I asked.

“Call me?”

“Well, I’m Donna. What should I call you?”

“My real name is unpronounceable in your language.”

“I assumed that much.”

His third arm reached out and tapped at a console. “I’ve been partial to the the name Rod for some time.”

“Rod?”

“Is that bad?” He asked with a questionable look on his face.

“No, no, sounds good to me,” I replied.

The planet Mars filled the windshield with a bright red glow that I had never seen, even from NASA photographs. I was going to be the first human on Mars, but then I looked at my hands and wondered how much of my physical humanity remained. I pushed my glasses back onto my face and leaned into the seat as the ship veered and turned to allow us to land.

“Don’t be alarmed, but we are about to have company.”

I looked out the side windows to see gigantic ships flanking us. A shadow then fell over and an even larger ship hovered over us.

“Standard procedure,” Rod replied as I clutched the seatbelt. “Mars has had to defend itself against a galaxy of hostile worlds. The Venusians are tricky but Saturnia are vicious creatures with bodies that can explode at-will. They came, “in peace”, they said but when their ambassador was introduced to the Martian council he self-destructed. The authorities are skeptical of visitors from other planets.”

“But I’m with you.”

“Paranoia is also standard procedure.”

“Am I going to be placed under arrest or have my brain sucked out through a straw?”

“Of course not, Donna. We would use a laser scalpel to cut through your skull.”

We approached the planet, and I watched as the ships broke away from us…except the looming beast above…as the car converted back into vehicular mode and we sped across what I thought would be a desert landscape but instead I saw monolith or metal and what looked like glass, like an extraterrestrial version of New York City. There were martians, all of then with green skin and three arms walking down what now appeared to be fully-developed cities.

“Our defense shields hide our cities from view. Your probes and robots could land in the middle of this city and see only rocks and sand.”

“What about when the rover fell into a hole?”

“There was an open maintenance access conduit.”

“A manhole? It fell into a Martian manhole?”

Rod nodded as we came to a smooth stop in front of massive building with waves and waves of Martians in what looked liked armor and masks.
“Quite the welcoming committee,” I commented. “Don’t tell me. Standard procedure?”

“No, Donna, this is not.