The future project office was quiet. There were many desks, but all except one were empty. A junior future projects team member was painting a model of a rectangular ship.

The captain banged on the door and walked in.

The three humans were on the trolley behind him being pushed by the two other aliens that had captured them.

‘Anyone working today?’ - said the captain

The junior future projects team member continued to paint the model.

‘I said, is anyone working today?’ - said the captain

The junior team member stopped painting, and looked at the captain.

‘Yes. Can I help you?’ - said the junior team member

‘We found these...these things in the forest, out by the last herd we were harvesting’ - said the captain - ‘and we wanted to know what they are’

‘I think you need a zoologist’ - said the junior team member - ‘this is the future projects office’

‘Yes, I know that’ - said the captain - ‘The zoologist didn’t know what they are, and suggested we bring them up here and put a chain on them’

‘I am a little bit busy today’ - said the junior team member - ‘and the rest of the department has taken the rest of the month off after we successfully agreed the next planet’

‘Can we just put a chain on one of them, and find out what they are?’ - said the captain

The junior team member huffed.

‘Alright, but not too long. I want to get the first coat finished before lunch’ - said the junior team member, putting down its brushes.

‘Get that one’ - said the captain, pointing a David

The two other aliens lifted David off the trolley and dumped him in a chair.

‘Translation and obedience?’ - said the junior team member

‘Yes, both’ - said the captain

The junior team member walked from the office, and returned with two thick chains. One chain was silver, and the other black. The junior team member placed the chains over David’s head.

‘You can turn off the restraint’ - said the junior team member.

David felt the paralysis disappearing, and the purple light around his neck was removed.

He thought about jumping up, and fighting the aliens. He was about to leap out of his chair when he told himself to just sit there, and behave. He obeyed the voice in his head.

‘Ratta soomla destargaa?’ - said the captain

‘Ich veega astoo a while’ - said the junior team member

David understood the last bit that the other alien had said.

‘Ash should ya rooker soon’ - the alien said

‘And it will be able to understand us?’ - said the captain

‘If it is a sentient, yes’ - said the junior team member

The captain walked in front of David.

‘Can you understand me?’ - said the captain

Don’t speak - thought David, but he couldn’t resist.

‘Yes’ - said David

‘Well that is a good start’ - said the captain, smiling at the junior team member and the other aliens.

‘Where are you from?’ - said the captain

‘Here’ - said David

‘Here, you mean this planet?’ - said the captain

‘Yes’ - said David

‘Where on this planet?’ - said the captain

‘The future’ - said David

‘The future?’ - said the captain - ‘explain this’

‘We are time travelers, from the future’ - said David

‘What future?’ - said the captain

‘The future of this planet’ - said the David, now drooling

The captain looked at the junior team member.

‘Have you heard of anything like this before?’ - the captain said.

‘Nope’ - said the junior team member.

‘And the chain is accurate’ - said the captain

‘Oh yes, the obedience chain prevents any deception’ - said the junior team member.

‘What was that machine in the forest, where we found you?’ - said the captain

‘The time machine’ - said David

The captain spoke to the other aliens - ‘One of you get back out on a scouting craft and bring that machine in the forest back here, to the hangar’

‘Yes sir’ - said one of the aliens, leaving the future projects office.

‘What are you?’ - said the captain to David

‘Homosapien’ - said David

‘Homo-what?’ - said the captain

‘Homosapien’ - said David

‘Homosapien’ - said the captain - ‘Has your team ever heard of that?’

‘Nope’ - said the junior team member

‘You said you came from the future?’ - said the captain

‘Yes’ - said David

‘What future?’ - said the captain

‘67 million years from now’ - said David

‘What is a year?’ - said the captain

‘The time it takes this planet to go around the sun’ - said David

‘What is the sun?’ - said the captain

‘The star at the center of this planetary system’ - said David

‘Well, this is a strange tale’ - said the junior team member

‘Why are you here?’ - said the captain

‘I was sent on a mission’ - said David

‘A mission? Who sent you on this mission?’ - said the captain

‘Andros and Bartos’ - said David, his subconscious and locked memories unlocked by the obedience chain.

‘And who are Andros and Bartos?’ - said the captain

‘The are from the planet Espultana, they are aliens’ - said David

‘Did he just say Espultana?’ - said the junior team member

‘What planet are Andros and Bartos from?’ - said the captain

‘The planet Espultana’ - said David

‘Espultana is in the future projects plan’ - said the junior team member - ‘It is ninth on the list. We will be visiting it for harvesting’

‘What was the mission that Andros and Bartos sent you on?’ - said the captain

‘I do not know’ - said David

‘Then why are you here?’ - said the captain

‘I was compelled’ - said David

The captain turned to the junior team member.

‘What do you make of all this?’ - said the captain.

‘It sounds crazy!’ - said the junior team member

‘So what should I do now?’ - said the captain

‘Beats me’ - said the junior team member

The captain and the junior team member stared at David.

‘What do they taste like?’ - said the junior team member

‘What?’ - said the captain

‘Maybe kill one, and cook it. If it tastes good send some up to the royal court. You might get an award’ - said the junior team member.

‘An award?’ - said the captain

‘Yeah. The king loves exotic food. They give out awards for citizens that find exotic new things to eat. Doesn’t get much more exotic than a time traveling homo-whatshumacallit’ - said the junior team member.

‘What kind of award?’ - said the captain

‘A trophy, I think. With your name on it’ - said the junior team member - ‘And you meet the king!’

‘Meet the king?’ - said the captain

‘Oh yes’ - said the junior team member.

‘Alright. Get him back on the trolley’ - said the captain

David obediently stood, and walked to the trolley and layed down next to Fiona and Zoft.

‘Thanks a lot’ - said the captain

‘The chains?’ - said the junior team member

‘Oh, I will bring them back later’ - said the captain

The aliens wheeled the trolley with the humans on it out of the future projects office.