text: Stupid cat! Puddles stop scratching at the door! My shows are on! The cat paid no heed and continued scratching until Albert opened the door for him. Good Human! With a flick of its tail it was soon off to find the source of the delicious scent that had caught his nose. Leaving the door ajar Albert returned to his old recliner with a groan and a plumpish thud. Gidget wrinkled her nose at the latest beau across from her, sucking hard on the straw her dimples cute as ever trying to beat him to the bottom of the double Chocolate Sundae. That slurping sound as the milk runs out filled the room, Albert smiled at the memory of it. He had done the same thing with Shirley before he'd marched off to Korea. Smiling as he adjusted the sound for the umpteenth time that night on the TV, you're going deaf old man he mumbled to himself. Siri had extended the docking port until it met the solid stone aggregate that formed the foundation of the structure that had been built over the top of their vessel. Making some fine adjustments the collar began to vibrate at an extremely high frequency until the collar extension began to push through the hard material like a hot knife. It was a precious use of resources as the wan lights and crystals within the ships hull began to dim and flicker. Sen had been monitoring the situation carefully and fortunately the collar had done its work before the power was entirely spent. The collar emerged into the sub basement with little noise or damage to be greeted by a small furry green eyed mammal. Sen met Siri at the hatch as she cracked it open for the first time in years and felt her laughter wash over him as she greeted the mewling feline with the words” Take me to your Leader!”. Perhaps it was the mixture of gases in the atmosphere or perhaps it was relief but it felt good to be outside of their vessel. There were strange odours and machinery within the space they had emerged, the small feline seemed enamoured with Siri as it was wending it's way between her legs making a high pitched buzzing sound in its throat. Sen extended his hand and ran a finger across a small device that emitted a scanning beam in a 360 degree sweep around them. Electron technology the Humans call electricity was the power source, passing his finger over the small device again a small conduit began to emerge from the docking collar until it was long enough to merge with one of the many metal tubes running across the walls of this room. It would be slow but the electron flow would replenish the fuel cells eventually. Sen noticed Siri's disguise flicker as she stepped under one of the overhead lights and made a mental note to make the necessary adjustments for 50 to 60 hertz magnetic fields, Human Technology leaked a lot of energy he mused. In the next room Siri had found a wall of small doors and a polished metal table. There were more tubes on the walls and a large domed light above the table, Puddles stopped when Siri stopped. The scent of death and antiseptic was strong in this space. Her curiosity aroused Siri opened one of the small doors to be greeted by the toes of a deceased Human. She sensed no life in it's form and tilted her head slightly to read the small white card tied to its toe. Complications from Pneumonia. Mrs A Erickson. 83. Unclaimed. Come see this! Siri's mind chimed into Sen's. This must be how they dispose of their elders Sen vocalised scratchily through his new biology. The language and speech absorbed while they were in stasis via the sustenance unit. They store them before incinerating them in the device in the first room. The thought of it horrified Siri. Our Elders are absorbed into the Biome so all may share in their wisdom. We mustn't judge them Siri! They are primitive and have there own rituals and customs Sen reminded her. His hand held scanner chirped at sensing the vital ingredients they were searching for. The drawer squeaked breaking the silence as Sen and Siri withdrew Mrs Erickson from the dark hole in the wall. Albert's ear twinged! Sensing the odd sound coming from down the hall. Puddles was probably into something he shouldn't be he mumbled to himself as he rose. Stupid cat! Being a Caretaker and Custodian at a Nursing home had its benefits, peace and quiet being one. But having to stand in for security because of budget cuts was clearly not one of them. Albert's knees cracked as he stretched and pulled himself upright. He hit the mute button on the TV remote and listened again before heading to the door. Silence and the flickering of the TV screen his only companion. Albert was not the nervous type. Korea had seen to that and steeled him for everything life might throw at him, there was nothing here he couldn't handle despite the passing of some of the residents upstairs. The short walk down the hall covered quickly he reached for the light-switch on the wall beside the Morgue entrance. Click! The hum and buzz of fluorescent lighting flickering and flooding the room. Albert's heart however was not prepared for two grey headed alien heads on Human bodies sipping through straws attached to the base of Mr's Erickson’s skull. The slurping stopped abruptly. Two pairs of enormous black eyes peered simultaneously at the figure in the doorway and watched as it's hand clutched at its chest. The metal pipettes used for extracting the biologicals suddenly forgotten as their small mouths went agape. The Human was clearly in distress as it's knees hit the floor. It was dying! Sen and Siri rose to go to its aid. Too late though the massive heart attack had done it's work. Sen placing his fingers on Albert's temples trying to communicate directly sensed the calamity and absorbed Albert's passing thoughts as life left his body. We frightened it! Siri's concerned thoughts clearly distressed now entering Sen's already busy mind. Yes! Replaying the encounter from Albert's point of view in his mind and sharing it with his mate.