My Friend is an Alien (niklas and friends)

by Niklas Edlund

  "I kind of like the idea." said Niklas. "I've never been there either."

  "Me neither." added Davy.

  "What is this you're talking about?" asked Jahv with a fair bit of emphasis.

  Keith rolled his eyes and gave up. "It's an amusement park. Been in business only a couple of years, but it's supposed to be the wildest, most incredible amusement park ever. Technology that might even impress you. It's got just about every other amusement park on the planet wondering how they managed it. Some guy named Paul Keisner came out of nowhere and had the place built. Anyway, there's lots of rides and other attractions. The place is divided into different sections, each one somewhat different. But it also tends to be very, very busy and there's always long waits for all of the rides. I don't know if we could do the whole place in an afternoon."

  "We could at least look it over." said Jahv. "It would be a good test for the discs, as well as the disguise programs."

  Keith realized he was the only one who seemed only slightly opposed to this. And truth be told, even he wouldn't mind seeing the place himself. But he wanted to know one thing. "How fast can those discs get us out of there if we hit trouble?"

  "Instantaneously." said Jahv. "There's an automatic homing feature that'll bring us all right back here if need be."

  Keith bit his lip. "I hope you're right about that. Okay, if I'm the only holdout on this craziness, let's do it."

  It took about twenty minutes for the four aliens to change into passable clothes. Arion seemed the most reluctant about that, but apparently even he was bored enough with his present surroundings to go along with the plan. Morik had managed to hack his hair down to a far more reasonable level, slightly longer than Keith's or Davy's, and it actually looked halfway decent, although his long pointed ears stuck through. That soon changed when they activated their disguises. Of the four, Arion's was the only one that was slightly suspect. The disguise program apparently wasn't entirely sure what to do with the feather-like hair the boy had, and the result looked vaguely like an afro.

  The teleport-discs computers had located Keisner Park without trouble, although they took a while to secure a safe location for the boys to appear. Keith remained concerned about crowds, but Davy didn't think there would be many. "This place is generally only really busy in the summer months and around holidays. This isn't either."

  "How would you know?" asked Keith. "You ain't been there any more than I have."

  "I read about places I'd like to visit." said Davy.

  "Everyone ready?" asked Jahv. "All your discs have been programed. We should all appear in the same general area. Just press the green button. We're ready to go."

  They did so, and eight boys faded from existence.

  * * *

  Keisner Park.

  To be specific, one of the fortunately larger stalls in the men's room at the far end of Gateway Avenue, which led to the junction point for the other «Realms» of the park, as they were called.

  "Jahv — when you said 'same general area', I kind of thought we'd have a little more breathing room." said Niklas.

  "Just be glad no one else was in here." added Davy.

  "And don't mention 'breathing', okay?" remarked Keith. "We're in a public bathroom, for cryin' out loud. Jahv, get your elbow out of my back."

  "That's not my elbow." said Jahv.

  "That's more than I needed to know."

  "Hey, guys, as long as we're in here…" began Martin.

  "Don't even think about it." snarled Arion. "I happen to be in the direct path of the commode."

  "Can anyone reach the door?" urged Keyro.

  "I think I'm closest." said Morik. "Odd locking mechanism, though. But I think I've got…

  The door swumg open and eight boys tumbled to the floor in a heap.

  "— it." finished Morik.

  "Well, that was probably the most unique entrance in the history of the park." remarked Niklas.

  "And I hope it stays that way." said Keith. "Assuming this is the right place. Shouldn't there be park logos on the toilet paper or something?"

  Just then music blared from outside, and an announcement heralding the opening of the park for another day was broadcast.

  "Curious." remarked Jahv, looking at the device. "There shouldn't've been any temporal displacement, but we seem to have lost a few hours if the park is just now opening."

  "Just tell me we won't be late getting home, okay?" said Keith. "As long as we're here, even I'd like to try to have some fun."

  "No, no problem there. If anything, we arrived earlier than we left."

  "Great." said Niklas. "Let's get out of here. If the day's crowd is just getting into the park, we can blend right in with them."

  Davy and Martin were the first ones out, and Davy's prediction was accurate. There was a crowd, but it didn't seem to be a very big one by any reasonable standards. Just a few thousand people. That would likely grow during the course of the day, but most park guests liked to spend as much of the day as possible at the park.

  "Where to first?" asked Niklas.

  "Looks like we're on the edge of Future Realm." remarked Davy. "Anyone for the Star Screamer ride?"

  "I thought the lot of you had pretty well had it with space travel." said Jahv.

  "It's a roller coaster." said Davy, as the group headed into Future Realm. "But it's indoors, and it just looks sort of like you're in space."

  "Interesting architecture." commented Keyro as the group headed through Future Realm and over to the Star Screamer entrance. "Looks a bit like the outskirts of Igtex Village on Rominus V."

  "Doesn't smell as bad, though." added Jahv.

  The boys made their way through the entrance and down the corridors within Star Screamer to the main area where they would board the vehicle that would take them through the roller coaster. A huge spacecraft model hung from the ceiling in the boarding area. "Decent design." said Jahv. "Engine placement could be a little more efficient."

  "Hey, Sparky, you want to stop analyzing everything?" said Keith. "Somebody's going to notice if you keep it up. Hey, Niklas, after this, let's haul 'em over to Western Realm. I doubt they'll be able to analyze that."

  "Why don't you relax and try to enjoy the place?" urged Niklas. "No one's paying any attention to us."

  The boys made their way to the front of the line, and a park employee asked them how many were in their group. "Eight of us." said Davy politely. They were seated in the first four rows of the next "space vehicle" to come through.

  Star Screamer was a roller coaster in a dark, enclosed environment, with projected stars whipping around the darkened walls. It has many wild turns and several fairly sharp drops. A couple of times what looked like comets and meteors seemed to soar right past or in front of the wildly careening car. At the end of the ride, Niklas, Davy, and Keith were cheering wildly, Martin had a near death-grip on Morik, Arion's eyes were spinning, and Jahv and Keyro just looked mildly confused.

  They exited, Martin somewhat unsteadily, the other Earth-born boys still elated. "That was a blast!" proclaimed Keith. "Okay, maybe this was a good idea!"

  "Now I'm not so sure." said Martin.

  "That was supposed to be a simulation of space flight?!" exclaimed Jahv.

  "No, it was supposed to be a fun ride." replied Niklas.

  "Oh, good." said Jahv. "Because if you people actually drive like that on the rare occasions when you do go into space, it's no darn wonder you've never gotten past your own moon."

  "You okay, Arion?" asked Keyro.

  "I think I will be." replied the young prince. "But generally when I whip around like that, it's under my own power. That was an — interesting sensation."

  "I'd swear some of the imagery in there was the same sort of holographic projection used in the holocron, though." commented Jahv.

  "Wouldn't that be kind of impossible?" asked Niklas.

  "It should be." stated Jahv. "I'd have to analyze it more closely."

  "You're not here to analyze
. You're here to have fun." said Keith. "Western Realm?"

  "The Runaway Wester-Trains!" emphasized Davy.

  "That sounds like another roller coaster." groaned Martin

  .

  "Yeah, but I think on this one you'll be able to see where you're going, and there's more to look at." stated Davy. "Keep your mind off it."

  Martin just sighed. The group exited Future Realm, crossed the central hub, and made their way into the frontier-like environs of Western Realm. There was a Shooting Gallery just to the right of the entrance which caught Arion's attention. "Hold a moment. I want to check this."

  "A shooting arcade?" questioned Davy.

  "Marksmanship in battle, even simulated, is an important skill." said Arion. He wandered over while the others waited.

  Unfortunately, the arcade was something of a disappointment. The weapons were merely infra-red projectors, which Arion's greater range of eyesight could easily detect, and the targets were mere projections, although they seemed to be holographic, but they clearly didn't shoot back. "Care to try your luck, son?" asked a park employee in a Western outfit.

  "No, thank you." said Arion. "It doesn't look to be much of a challenge."

  "What do you want?" joked the park employee. "Live targets that shoot back?"

  Arion brightened suddenly. "Is that an available option?"

  The park employee looked stunned, but managed to stay in character. "Uh, no, afraid not. But — uh — this should be a fair test of your skills."

  "Really…" yawned Arion. He looked at one of the primitive weapons and noticed that it would require money. He turned to the rest of the boys. "Do any of you have fifty cents?"

  Davy wandered up along with Jahv. "Here." he said. "You going to try this?"

  "No." said Arion. "I'm going to prove a point." He deposited the two quarters, picked up the simulated rifle, and picked off every last target in the shooting gallery in less time than it took to tell. The holographic images feigned almost comical deaths, and all that was left when Arion was finished was a heap of fallen projected corpses. Davy's jaw practically hit the floor alongside the park employee's. Arion set the rifle back down on the counter and said, in an almost painfully bored voice. "At least if they shot back, it might have been more worth my time."

  Arion and Davy moved off, but Jahv studied the images. "Excuse me," he said to the employee, "can you tell me what the technological basis for the — uhm — targets is? They appear to be a more advanced form of holography than — than I have generally seen."

  "Sorry, kid," replied the employee. "I just work here. I didn't design the place. All I know is the guy who designed the place had everything from engineers to scientists working on it. There's a book you can buy on the building of the park, but don't expect it to divulge many of the secrets. Mr. Keisner's got copyrights and legal protections like you wouldn't believe on every last bit of it."

  "I see." said Jahv. "Thank you."

  The group made their way over to the Runaway Wester-Trains. Martin remained reluctant to go on another roller coaster, but the more open environment, and the far larger vehicles — comical trains with seven cars (three rows each) barreling around the track within a highly detailed Western setting, persuaded him to stay with his friends.

  With eight boys, they were divided into three rows. Martin sat between Davy and Keith, Niklas ended up with Keyro and Morik, and Jahv and Arion sat together. The ride, in some respects, was wilder than Star Screamer. It was certainly more varied, with a lot more to see along the way. Towards the end of the ride, it entered a dark tunnel with uneven track. The train seemed to just miss a mine car and go careening down a second tunnel, which seemed to collapse from the force of simulated explosions. Amidst a cloud of dust, the train emerged safely from the tunnel and pulled back into the "train station". As they got off at the end, the alien kids finally seemed to be picking up on the nature of the park, and even Martin didn't seem to have minded the ride. "I think I'm getting used to these." he said.

  Davy next suggested Ghost House, which wasn't too far away. It was supposed to be one of the most visually advanced rides in the entire park, although it wasn't a roller-coaster. The exterior of the place looked like something that would've scared the Addams Family. Martin was a little nervous and clung to Keith rather tightly. The initial portion of the ride was a walk-through some increasingly creepy rooms with a haunting voiceover. Eventually the group got into small moving vehicles that slowly made their way along a track, and wound their way through more of the huge «house» and outside into a backyard miasma of Halloween nightmares come to life. Martin was scared out of his wits, the other boys were getting a kick out of it — even Arion — and Jahv was getting increasingly analytical.

  "The more I see around here," said Jahv as they emerged, "the more convinced I am that aspects of this place are simply beyond your standard technology."

  Keith swore and detached himself from Martin. "If you don't knock it off and try to have some fun, I'm gonna haul you into Jungle Realm and toss you into the river of the Safari Boats! What's your problem!?"

  "Yeah, Jahv, I'm with Keith." said Davy. "Besides, places like these always seem to have technology more advanced than anyplace else. That's what makes them so interesting. But it's really just how they use what's available. Stop being so suspicious and try to have some fun."

  Jahv looked at Davy. "You are certain of that?"

  Davy nodded. "Stop studying the place and just try to enjoy it."

  Jahv sighed and shrugged. "All right. I give up. It's just how I am, I guess. I want to understand the technology. But I'll try."

  "Is anyone else hungry?" asked Niklas. His stomach had growled loudly during the argument.

  "Yo, right here," said Keith, "but this place is probably pretty expensive."

  "Let's see what we can afford." said Davy. So the boys — at least Niklas, Davy, Keith, and Martin, pooled whatever money they had with them. It wasn't much. About ten dollars. "That's not likely to buy much food in this place." said Davy.

  "Let's see what it will get us." suggested Keith. "And I think I saw a place to cool off in Future Realm."

  The group headed back in that direction, mostly checking food carts along the way. They discovered that they had just enough money to get two large containers of popcorn — which fortunately none of the aliens was allergic to — and two soft-frozen lemonades. Jahv and Keyro would have to find some water someplace. Fortunately, there were drinking fountains throughout the park.

  The group found themselves making their way back gradually to the other side of the park, where they'd more or less started, as they made short work of the popcorn and lemonade. In Future Realm was a large area of ground-level fountains, called the "Galactic Waves". The floor beneath these fountains was soft and rubbery, and was intended for children to run through and play in. Numerous children were already running through the fountains, some fully dressed, others without their shirts, some in swim shorts. In the center was a constant mist of water on which images of stars and planets was projected.

  "Now that looks like fun!" said Niklas, finishing off his share of the popcorn.

  "Yeah!" agreed Davy, already removing his shirt. The two boys gave each other a stare that more or less said, "Dare ya to run right through 'em." and they took off. They got caught in several of the sporadic bursts of water, and shrieked on their way to the center. Davy had caught the worst of it, and was pretty well soaked. Niklas had caught a blast of water across his front, and his shirt, which he'd left on, was dripping.

  Keith was next, at first running through until he got caught by a blast of water that soaked him head to toe. Amused more than angry, he decided to see what would happen if he sat down right on top of one of the ground-based fountains. The next time it blasted water, it sprayed out from under Keith and nearly knocked him off his feet. So he decided to try lying on his back over several of them. Unfortunately, one of the fountains was right about at his neck, and he caught a faceful of wat
er as a result.

  He got up, and started chasing Martin, who had yet to enter the fountains. Martin was fairly elusive, but the area was just too crowded, and Keith caught him by the shirt. Martin decided to squirm out of the shirt, but that was only a brief reprieve. Keith caught up to Martin again, and essentially carried the screaming-but-laughing Martin through the highest-shooting fountains.

  Jahv and Keyro had run into the fountains as well, quickly followed by Morik. Arion remained uncertain, but finally realized that if he was the only one of the group to remain outside the area, he would likely be overpowered and dragged in much as Martin had been, and flying to escape was not an option. Arion had no intention of allowing himself to be treated in such an undignified manner. But neither was he really of a mind to get soaking wet. He studied the patterns of the sporadic fountains long enough to figure out where there would be a break in them, and then ran towards the center and joined Niklas and Davy in playing with the huge projection area in the center. Getting slightly sprayed with water he didn't mind. He just didn't want to get soaked.

  Not long after, though, there was an outcry of some sort. Arion turned to see all eyes on Morik, Jahv, and Keyro. They were shooting sparks. Arion cursed under his breath. Something about the teleportation discs, or at least the holo-disguise feature, was obviously not waterproof.

  The other boys had noticed it, as well. Niklas, Davy, and Martin stood in shock, and Keith looked about ready to swear a blue streak. Arion felt his own device starting to malfunction. He'd gotten a spray of water right against the pocket where he was keeping it. He briefly thought about flying away, but that wouldn't solve anything and would probably just make matters worse.

  Seconds later, before anyone could act, Jahv, Keyro, and Morik all gave off a bright flash of light, and were then back to their alien forms. Three seconds after that, so did Arion.

  "Oh, crap." snarled Keith. "I knew this was all going too well."

  Keith looked around. Niklas and Davy looked like they wanted to do something, but they weren't sure what. Martin looked stunned. So did the four aliens. The rest of the people — the reaction was mixed. Most of the kids anywhere near the aliens had backed off. Some parents were hauling their kids away as fast as they could. Other people were coming closer to see what the commotion was about. Keith spotted two park employees nearby, and they both looked like they hadn't the slightest idea what to do, as if they weren't sure if this was some sort of staged event they hadn't been told about, or something a whole lot weirder.