I do not regret moving to what my family considers the boondocks. My work requires discretion, and a hundred-acre farm in the middle of Upstate New York fit that requirement easily. The place is owned by my employer, but it was purchased specifically for my use. I have enjoyed the relative quiet of this farm for almost five years now. When this job is over, I will look for another farm just like it only the mortgage will be in my name.

 

In the distance I see an oscillating beam of light that warns me a vehicle is coming up the road and that another customer is arriving. I head to the barn to warm up the equipment. The door rattles and creaks as it opens, and I fumble for a light switch. The interior looks like you would expect; with several horse stalls, some farming equipment, and tools hanging on pegs.

 

I keep two horses in the back named Galaxy, and Saturn. Both complain about the interruption, but I just hold my finger to my lips and they quiet. Galaxy nods as if he knows what to expect and I smile.

 

“Yeah, it’s that time again,” I say as I scratch his head.

 

There is an electrical panel with a couple of switches on the back wall. I throw one of them and wait for the sound of machinery from below. Slowly, Galaxy's stall rises, and he stamps his hoof in surprise.

 

“I thought you were expecting this!” I call up to him as he disappears into the second floor, leaving a new and empty stall where his occupied stall had been.

 

I throw another switch and feel a slight vibration from the floor as huge generators below the barn spin up to speed. Leaving things how they are, I walk out of the barn to meet my customer.

 

The car is a plain black sedan. When it stops, the driver exits and moves to the passenger’s door and opens it. A figure the size of a human child emerges dressed in a black cloak and something resembling a beekeeper’s hood.

 

“Good morning Velix,” I say to the driver who gives me a nod before moving the bags to the barn.

 

My customer walks up to me and raises his arm, exposing a green and gray wristband.

 

“Right to business, eh?” I ask.

 

“I’m not here to visit, caretaker,” the figure says with irritation, “Now scan me so I can be on my way.”

 

I didn’t expect a conversation to be honest. Most customers are diplomats or other high-ranking official who look down on us support types.

 

I grab my cell phone from my back pocket and hold it near the little beekeeper’s wristband. A contact record displays with the word validated, flashing in green.

 

“It looks like you are cleared, Targus,” I say with a smile.

 

Velix returned from the barn and headed back to his car. As he passes behind Targus, He looks at me and then back to Targus before rolling his eyes. I grin.

 

“Well?” Targus asked irritably. “If I am cleared then get me to the portal.”

 

“Right away sir,” I say, and motion grumpy toward the barn.

 

“The elevator is in the back,” I say.

 

“Goodness what a disgusting place, Targus complains.

 

“Your bags are right there.” I say and point to the back of the elevator where Velix had deposited the luggage.

 

With a turn of a hidden switch, the elevator descends. After it stops, I open the doors and we move into a room that is about the same size as the barn above, only this room is as clean as a hospital.

 

At the far end of the room is a portal consisting of two large circular rings leaning into the wall at a forty-five-degree angle. The smooth surface of the rings is gray, and it’s made of a metal not found on earth. There are ripples of energy fluctuating within the portal.

 

Just to the right of the portal stands a skinny pedestal with a control panel. The panel is a simple thing, having only a slot for a phone and a red activation button. I figure the engineers who designed these portals did not want to leave anything to chance.

 

Targus wasted no time and with a bag in each hand stepped into the circle of the portal.

 

“Well, why are you waiting? Active the damn thing!” he bellowed impatiently.

 

I don’t know why Targus was in such a hurry or why he was so unpleasant. I did my best to suppress a snark and moved to the control panel to insert my phone. I wait for the display to indicate that the portal is ready and after about a minute the activation button turns from red to green. I slam my hand down onto the button.

 

The inner portal ring begins to spin, increasing its speed by the second. The energy inside the ring that had earlier looked as calm as a small pond now looked like a whirlpool.

 

An image of Targus spun at the same speed as the energy within, becoming an unfocused black ring. I know from experience he did not feel this, from his perspective the trip would be instant and painless.

 

Suddenly the lights over the portal flash red, and an alarm fills the room.

 

It is a universal truth that politics, war, and deception are not only human traits but are common to all intelligent species. I do not know who Targus was or what he was sent to do, but it turns out he got caught in a lie. His documents might have checked out, but the security system detected an anomaly and activated its protocols. Unfortunately for Targus instead of reaching his expected destination he would instead be redirected to some random location in the universe. This will likely be fatal, considering that most of the universe is empty. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.