Part 14 of some new science fiction. If you're just tuning in, consider starting with part 1. The image above was created with stable diffusion.
Learning the names of all twenty Visitors before they went out was beyond James, so he used his Servant to make them all clothes in colors to match their designations. Their eyes already matched their designations, so selecting the colors was easy. Each visitor, upon emerging from the government medical trailer, received their new set of clothes. When all twenty had been seen to, James summoned sandwiches for everyone. By the time they were done eating, it was nine, and James led the group a few blocks to the Turf Bar, with Suit and Janet bringing up the rear to ensure no stragglers wandered off.
The bouncer was already shaking his head as James and Yarn approached the entrance. "Tell your group to get your IDs ready," said the bouncer. "Cover is twenty."
"We are twenty!" said Aqua from a few paces back.
"Put all of us on here," said Yarn, handing over a card. "You know who we are, right? These are the Visitors."
"No kidding?" said the bouncer, returning the card after running it. "I'll still need to see ID."
Waving his wand, James put the man to sleep, then led the group into the bar. Inside, a band was playing, and two dozen concertgoers stood awkwardly along the edges of an unused dance floor. Making his way to the bar, James ordered an energy drink and opened a tab for his party. Yarn immediately ordered three shots of Jagermeister, which she downed shockingly fast.
"What should I drink?" asked Aqua. "Bartender, give me your most sophisticated beverage."
One appletini coming up, said the bartender, already preparing the cocktail. "Are all of your friends going to want one?"
"I'll try beer in a can," said Cobalt.
"Do you have red wine?" asked Sepia.
As the Visitors received their drinks, they wandered over to the dance floor, looking from it to the crowd of non-dancing people at its edge. "Is something the matter?" Scarlet asked a man wearing a coat that was obviously too warm for the summer evening. "Is there a problem with the dance floor, or are you just sick?"
The man merely grunted and nodded, so Scarlet turned away and began moving her body to the music. Soon, all of the visitors were reveling in sound and movement. Watching this unfold from the bar, James smiled. Then he saw Suit come in with the bouncer. Neither of them looked happy.
"Hey guys, what's up?" asked James.
"I could lose my job for this is what's up," said the bouncer.
"Is napping on duty frowned upon here?" asked James.
"You know what he means," said Suit. "Come on. This field trip is over. Let's round everybody up and get 'em home."
Waving his wand, James put both men to sleep. With Yarn's help, he put them in a booth so they wouldn't wake up on the floor. Janet arrived from outside with Taupe just then. Taupe looked chastised.
"I caught her buddying up to a drug dealer out back," said Janet.
"I liked his gold teeth!" said Taupe defensively.
"So you said," said Janet, noticing the unconscious Suit. "He is not going to be happy about whatever this is."
"No kidding," said James. "And yet, here we are."
"Are you drunk?" Janet asked Yarn, who was wobbling a little and taking another shot.
"Getting there," said Yarn. "I have zero days off, so I'll take what I can get."
"Oh shit," said James, noticing a commotion on the dance floor.
"I'll check it out," said Yarn, hurrying towards a knot of people yelling and pushing each other.
Janet and James looked at each other. "This is just the beginning, isn't it?" asked Janet.
"Yeah, things are probably going to get weird," said James.
Yarn returned with Cobalt, who was soaked with beer.
"What happened?" asked James.
"I asked a woman if she wanted to mate with me and she poured her drink on me," said Cobalt. "Is it not polite to ask someone before mating with them?"
"Asking is good, but you also have to know when to ask," said James. "There's a whole art to it. One that I totally haven't mastered."
"Hey guys!" said Krissa, who had come out of nowhere. "James, aren't you going to introduce me to everyone?"
"This is Cobalt," said James. "He tried to mate with someone and got beer poured all over him."
"Well, let me get a selfie," said Krissa, who took a selfie.
"Listen, I've kind of got my hands full right now," said James.
"Duh," said Krissa. "And it's about to get a whole lot crazier, since social media knows that you're here now. Why don't I take this one off your hands and teach him about our mating rituals?"
"Fine," said James. "Thanks."
"I am ready to dance!" declared Yarn. "Boss? Janet? Are you coming?"
"Just a sec," said Janet, taking a selfie with the sleeping Suit. "Okay, I'm ready."
Led by a tipsy Yarn, they made their way into the crowd of gyrating Visitors. On stage, the band's lead singer recognized James and flashed him some devil horns. Under colored lights, moving to the music, James considered his new position as the babysitter of this score of aliens. He wasn't at all sure he could handle it, but he was certain that he'd give it his best.
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