After the aliens landed on the South Lawn of the White House, everything changed. For me, it meant retiring from the military and taking a job at the Friendship Center as a liaison. The Lysarians are uncomfortable around most humans, so I’m in pretty exclusive company, which suits my purposes just fine.

 

“Morning, Lewis,” the receptionist said as I walked in. “ID, please.”

 

“No problem, Suzanne,” I replied. I smiled for the camera, hoping today wasn’t the day they’d catch me. Security was tight after an attempted bombing at another Friendship Center two months ago. A good friend of mine had been involved in that, but security had detected the plutonium in the case and neutralized it before it went off.

 

I never saw him again.

 

I went up to my office on the 18th floor. It was my day to meet with the Ambassador.

 

On my desk, as usual, was the shimmering metallic hood I would be wearing. No human had ever seen a Lysarian with their own eyes.

 

I pressed the intercom button and said, “Morning, Lucy.”

 

“Morning, sir. Is there anything you need?”

 

Before I could continue, a huge shadow settled outside as the building shook. The Lysarian shuttle had just landed heavily on the pad up on the roof.

 

Lucy said, “They’re here.”

 

After a short wait, the intercom buzzed again. “Inner door unlocked,” Lucy said. It was time.

 

People always asked me what they looked like. Of course, I couldn’t tell them much. I know they were bigger than us. They had several long and slender appendages with which they greeted us in friendship whenever we met. It was akin to grasping an octopus tentacle covered in dry scales.

 

The smell is, well, unique. “They stink like someone’s used gym shorts,” another liaison once said. I’ll just say it’s different.

 

“Meester Lewis Tucker. You seem well. How is Nevada?”

 

“Everything is going according to plan, Ambassador,” I said.

 

“Good and good,” the alien replied wheezily. “I have news. We need to expedite the evacuation.”

 

“Respectfully, we are working as fast as we can to get everyone out, but we need at least three more weeks.”

 

Almost apologetically it said, “Meester Lewis Tucker. We regret any inconvenience, but your population is already quite large. The plan has changed. You have ten days to complete the evacuation. Any humans who remain will be, er, dealt with. I’m sorry, but this concludes our meeting for today, Meester Lewis Tucker. The inner door is unlocked.”

 

* * *

 

I sat quietly in the bar after work. There is no way we can move everyone out of Nevada in time, I thought. Thousands of people could die just so these invaders could establish their first permanent colony on Earth.

 

Susan Decker sat opposite me. She was also the chief scientist in our cell and was there because of my meeting today.

 

“Lewis, can’t you negotiate for more time?” she asked.

 

“No. They’re not even pretending to be guests anymore. And there’s nothing the government can do to stop them.”

 

She sat silent for a moment before continuing. “Lewis, are you still willing to go through with this? After the failed bombing, this is our last chance.”

 

“It’s not just a bomb, Susan,” I said. “And even if it works, there’s no telling what they’ll do to the Earth.”

 

She grabbed my hands. “It will work. We may not be able to compete with them in FTL travel, but we have them beat in biotechnology.”

 

“We know that they cannot communicate across interstellar distances any faster than we can and must physically travel back to their home world frequently to maintain control.” She pressed a small capsule into my palm. “This is tailored to their biology, and once it spreads, Earth’s air will become noxious and the temperature intolerable so long as they remain here.”

 

I simply nodded. “I’ll do it.”

 

* * *

 

I sat hooded in the Lysarian’s office. Strangely, nothing had been said when I entered, so I sat there in silence.

 

Finally, the Ambassador spoke. “Meester Lewis Tucker. Are you well?”

 

I did feel a little strange. “I’m fine, thank you. Just a cold, perhaps.”

 

“I see. Your biological difficulties are your own affair, of course. How goes the evacuation in Nevada?”

 

“Going well,” I lied.

 

“I feel there are some inconsistencies in you today, but perhaps it’s just your condition. I must return home today to meet with my superiors and give them my report. Remember, the deadline still stands.”

 

A slender tentacle reached out and gripped my hand before pulling away.

 

“Inner door open. Goodbye, Meester Lewis Tucker.”

 

I walked back into the waiting room, unconsciously wiping my hands on my pants.

 

* * *

 

Feeling no better, I walked into the bar to meet my contact. Susan was waiting for me.

 

“Surprised to see you again so soon,“ I said.

 

“Did you make physical contact?” Susan asked.

 

“Yes, the Ambassador shook my hand. It’s done. When does it take effect?”

 

She glanced at her watch. “The shuttle returned to the mother ship after your meeting. It won’t be long.”

 

“Are you sure they won’t retaliate?”

 

An odd expression crossed her face. “I can guarantee it. By the way, how do you feel?”

 

“A little ill, but I’ve had worse. Why?”

 

“The infection you passed on to the Lysarian isn’t fatal to you. You’ll feel quite ill for a few days, but you’ll recover. My apologies, Lewis. I wanted to tell you everything, but we weren’t sure you’d follow through with it if I did.”

 

“Susan, what do you mean? What did you give me?”

 

“Death, Lewis. A disease that is fatal to Lysarians, one with no possible cure.”

 

I sat there stunned. “All the aliens here are going to die?”

 

Susan shook her head. “That’s why I know that they won’t retaliate. It won’t be just the ones on Earth, Lewis. Once this spreads, it will be all Lysarians everywhere in the Universe.”