A story about an Earthling in alien world. If you're just tuning in, consider starting with part 1

Part 40

After presenting the archives with an observation montage titled 'Importing Diversity from Earth,' Benko was officially made a Senior Archivist, along with Natlin and Jili, who each presented similarly compelling projects. The three were unusually young to be receiving the credential, but they were also wildly popular in New Oro and beyond, and they had all demonstrated sufficient mastery of their archivist skills.

After the ceremony, they went to Thirst to celebrate, as was customary. There, unbeknownst to them, Archie had contrived to display a montage of his own making. It showed scene after scene of the three archivists patiently helping him navigate life on the planet that was new to him. The editing was choppy and the capture angles were imperfect, but this only added to the montage's sentimental appeal.

Observing these events from the extra bedroom in his Manhattan apartment, Mork was moved to tears. He couldn't have been more proud, though he regretted not being able to be there in person. When Archie's montage was over and the crowd at Thirst transitioned from spectating to more serious revelry, Mork powered down his observation device and ventured outside.

It was early autumn, just past dark. The streets were unusually quiet. Buying a tightly-rolled berry crepe dusted with powdered sugar from a sidewalk window, Mork ate while he walked. Taking an indirect, meandering route to his destination, he finished the crepe on his way through Chinatown. Crossing Houston, he proceeded to Tompkins Square Park, where he sat on an unused park bench and waited people to walk past. "Excuse me," he said in his strange accent as people passed. "Are you happy with your life on Earth? I can show you a better world."

Most people just kept walking, but someone eventually stopped. "What you got?" asked a thirtysomething woman in a green windbreaker. "Yay? Molly?"

"What I have is better than drugs," said Mork. "I have a whole world, and the means to bring you there."

"Please tell me you don't have a rape van," said the woman, who stopped despite the comment. "I'm just looking for some addys."

"Sorry," said Mork. "I believe that gentleman with the greasy paper bag on the bench at the end of the row sells stimulant methamphetamine. All I have to offer is an actual better world."

"Are you talking about god or are you a crazy person?" asked the woman.

"I'm talking about a technology that can show you anything and send you anywhere," said Mork. "Take a card and look at the website. Call me if you want to know more."

"Huh," said the woman, taking a card. "Thanks, I guess."

After handing out a dozen cards this way, Mork got up and left. Only one person in ten would call, and fewer than half of these would agree to come and see the observation device. So far, zero of these people had wanted to immigrate, but giving them the opportunity made Mork feel good so he kept at it.

Heading to Washington Square Park, Mork passed through the crowds of St Mark's Place and into the empty blocks on the edge of NYU. As he walked, a large white van stopped just in front of him. Two men in crew cuts jumped out. "Anton Windle?" said one of the men. "We're gonna need you to come with us."

Before Mork could respond, a hood was thrown over his head and his hands were fastened behind his back. The men shoved him into the back of their van. One man stayed with Mork in back. "Thanks for your cooperation," said the man as the vehicle began moving. "Keep doing like you're told and this will all work out fine."

"Where are you taking me?" asked Mork. "Why the hood?"

"We're taking you to an office in Koreatown," said the man. "Someone there wants to talk to you. And the hood was in case you tried to spit on us."

The drive was short and they soon reached their destination. Mork was led into an office building and positioned in front of an elevator before his hood was removed. The men who had taken him stood on either side of him until the elevator came. One man gently shoved Mork into the elevator after pushing the button for the eleventh floor.

The men didn't accompany Mork in the elevator. Had he wished to escape, this would have been his moment. But he didn't want to escape. He wasn't even scared. He was delighted by the novelty of it all.

Exiting floor eleven, Mork found himself in a generic reception area, facing a desk occupied by a young woman wearing a headset. "Mr Windle?" said the woman, pointing at a hallway. "Your appointment is in suite three."

"Of course," said Mork, heading to the appointment he didn't know he had. Finding suite three, he opened the door and was confronted with a pair of disarmingly attractive young people, a male and a female, sitting at a table, casually smiling. "How did you like our thugs?" asked the male. "Do you feel intimidated?"

"More perplexed than intimidated, I'd say," said Mork. "Who are you exactly?"

The pair stood briefly to perform a funny little bow before returning to their seats. "We are the Lindrue," said the female. "From the planet by that same name. I'm Pipix and this is Octex. We know you're Mork from the planet Mother. We've never met a Motherling, before."

"Lindrue, the species we traded with five hundred years ago?" asked Mork.

"The very same," said Pipix. "With that trade completed, we had no further business with you. Things have changed now."

"Are you saying you want to trade again?" asked Mork. "You should know that I'm living here in exile, with no influence on my home planet."

"What we want is for you to stop causing trouble," said Octex. "We can't stop your people from observing, but you've been interfering in Earthly matters more and more. This is becoming a problem for us."

"How so?" asked Mork.

"This planet is our playground," said Pipix. "It's where our people vacation and recreate. Our physical attractiveness causes Earthlings to treat us incredibly well. Their systems are easy to manipulate. We have a plan for them, you understand. We're turning Earth into our paradise."

"You must have observation technology," said Mork. "You must know the scale of Mother's Earth immigration program. Why come to me, here?"

"This interaction will surely be observed by Mother's leaders within a short time," said Octex. "And we wanted to impress upon you the fact that we're already here, and were here first."

"Interesting," said Mork. "Please, if you would, tell me more about your activities here."

(Feature image from Pixabay.)

Read my novels:

Small Gods of Time Travel is available as a web book on IPFS.
The Paradise Anomaly is available in print via Blurb and for Kindle on Amazon.
Psychic Avalanche is available in print via Blurb and for Kindle on Amazon.
One Man Embassy is available in print via Blurb and for Kindle on Amazon.
Flying Saucer Shenanigans is available in print via Blurb and for Kindle on Amazon.
Rainbow Lullaby is available in print via Blurb and for Kindle on Amazon.
The Ostermann Method is available in print via Blurb and for Kindle on Amazon.
Blue Dragon Mississippi is available in print via Blurb and for Kindle on Amazon.

See my NFTs:

Small Gods of Time Travel is a 41 piece Tezos NFT collection on Objkt that goes with my book by the same name.
History and the Machine is a 20 piece Tezos NFT collection on Objkt based on my series of oil paintings of interesting people from history.
Artifacts of Mind Control is a 15 piece Tezos NFT collection on Objkt based on declassified CIA documents from the MKULTRA program.

Delighted by the Novelty of It All

Part 40