Dan: New Earth | MM, Alien, Soulmate

Chapter-3

Nick

Nick looked at the aliens, amazed. He had never seen an alien up close, just on TV or the internet. The ambassadors on NEAE were world famous—more so than any movie star. Grosh aliens were the only ones that resembled humans; the other two didn't resemble humans at all.

Dan wasn't present at the introduction, not that any of the aliens needed an introduction. He had seen them on television more than he had seen any human celebrities. Dan was known to be the moody one. He came and went at his wishes. It could be that his people were not social creatures, or it could be a personal trait. It was more likely the latter. The Grosh before him had a certain pride, but nothing compared to Dan's sheer arrogance. For most people, that level of self-importance would be repellent, but Dan seemed to get away with it all. He could push boundaries and still come out unscathed. Personally, Nick hated it.

Nick stared in awe as the aliens introduced themselves to each intern one by one. First was Zeta, one of the most bizarre creatures Nick had ever seen. Zeta didn't have hands or legs, and instead, he resembled a blob of shifting brownish mass. His body was composed primarily of sulfur compounds, giving off a pungent odor of rotten eggs—not surprising, considering the composition of his form. Despite his unconventional appearance, Zeta had an incredibly advanced brain. His technology was sophisticated enough to enable space travel, even though his cognitive abilities were slightly less developed than the Grosh's.

Next, Nick was introduced to the Canopusarians. These massive smoky beings hovered in the air like wisps of smoke. They looked more ghostly than solid, with smoky tendrils trailing behind them. Their gaseous forms were translucent and swirled with dark hues, and although they didn't have a discernible body, they exuded a sense of ancient wisdom and immense intelligence. The Canopusarians' presence at the NEAE was evidence of their highly developed civilization, which had mastered the art of interstellar travel long before humans even considered the possibility.

Finally, Nick met the Vaigan aliens, who were the smallest of the group. Vaigans were roughly the size of a small baseball, floating in a transparent sphere filled with liquid ammonium hydroxide. The spherical contraption, which kept the Vaigan pressurized and mobile, was unlike anything Nick had ever seen. The sphere looked like a head, while the gas cylinder—necessary for the Vaigan's environment—acted as a body. This self-contained device was custom-made by the Vaigan species to help them navigate the human world. Through it, the Vaigan communicated with Nick using a mechanical, computerized voice that echoed with a cold, metallic undertone.

"The Grosh didn't show up, did he?" Rita said in a mocking tone. Nick didn't know how to respond to that comment. He decided to ignore her instead.

Later that day, after the introductions, Nick and the other interns were taken to a nursery. The facility was an astounding blend of cutting-edge technology and nature's wonder. It housed animals and plants from the various alien planets humans had come to know, bred and cultivated for both consumption and research. The diversity of life forms was astonishing, each one more intriguing than the last. Nick couldn't help but feel a strange mix of fascination and unease as they moved through the various exhibits.

His gaze lingered on the ammonium nitrate aquarium, where a fluorescent, snake-like creature slithered with incredible speed. Its glowing body seemed to ripple in the water as if it were made of liquid light, darting between the currents. Nick felt his stomach turn slightly at the sight, though he couldn't deny its beauty. It was an alien species unlike anything on Earth, and yet it had evolved in ways that humans were only beginning to understand.

The host continued with his lecture on the various plant species, each one more bizarre than the last. Some emitted faint pulses of light, while others seemed to hum softly when touched. The air in the room was thick with the scent of unfamiliar, exotic flowers. Nick was the only one diligently scribbling notes, jotting down every name and detail. The others seemed more content to stare at the strange creatures and plants with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.