She prowled through the tightly grown shrubbery of the suburban neighborhood, her nose working overtime at the strange scents. They had not warned her that the smells, the bright lights, the loud noises would all overwhelm her so. A low rumble emitted from her chest and a passerby would have mistaken it for the purr of a large cat. Her bare feet padded softly, making no sound on the fallen leaves covering the ground of the park. It had been a haven to her since she'd discovered it two weeks ago. Her research had sent her to this overpopulated, technology cursed world, but the park on the edge of town would be her home while she was here.
Malina sat gracefully under a tree deep in the wooded rear of the recreational area and opened the canvas bag she'd looped over her head and across her chest. The portfolio she pulled out contained data on her latest study. He was a university professor of History and her people had tagged him as a possible specimen of study and assimilation. Her white hands would have gleamed in the moonlight if not for the soft, light covering of fur across the top and along her fingers, which ended with long clear nails, almost curved into claws.
A rustling of branches behind her put the young feline at full alert and she crouched down from the upright position she'd held against the trunk of the tree, looking for all the world like an albino panther. Anyone who would be lucky enough to get to such close proximity would see that she was not, however.
Her eyes were not the red of an albino, but a striking sky blue.... the blue of a pedigree Persian cat's eyes. Her legs were muscular and long, even bunched beneath her in preparation for attack...long and curvaceous. And if that same person were to observe her after a time, when she relaxed her guard, they would see her standing to her full height of just over five feet, but straight and proud...a sensuous, inviting feline woman.... covered with a thin coating of silky white fur. Her soft, downy covered ears hidden beneath a long white mane that flowed long and wavy down her back, ending just above a sleek, gently swaying tail, which once more wrapped around her legs in repose.
The noise had turned out to be a small animal, not worth her notice, but it reminded her how careful she needed to be. After all, this alien Earth was new to her, and this was her first assignment off-ship. Her nose twitched once more before she resumed her earlier position of inspection.
She'd come close to being spotted tonight...by the subject of her surveillance, as a matter of fact. He'd come out of the History department building and headed around the corner quicker than she'd anticipated, almost colliding with her if she'd not ducked beneath the stairs of the exit. He'd been close enough for her to touch if she'd reached out her long paw/hand...and she almost had.
He fascinated Malina. She was inexplicably drawn to him and found herself hoping he would be the one they chose to take back with them. She spent more time on his photographs, the recordings of his voice she'd managed to intercept through his phone conversations. She built his portfolio to reflect the best possible way. This was her first assignment and she had a responsibility...a duty to her people. But she was also young and adventurous...and very, very curious.
* * * * *
Daniel Cockran was late. But then he was always late. Previous girlfriends had accused him of being so caught up in his world of history and past events that the present just didn't matter. Dan shrugged to himself, they were right. He couldn't defend against the truth.
But tonight.... He had made a point to watch the clock and leave promptly at 6:30. He was meeting Liza at the Fox & Hound at 7pm and he was not going to be late. He knew that Liza had him on probation. Of course, that was his intent. It turned out the clock in his classroom was 20 minutes slow. He didn't realize that until he packed up and left and saw the night watchman's alarm clock on his desk.
Dan was running by the time he hit the street. He had brown hair, hazel eyes, and good muscular build. Or at least, in his opinion he did. He worked out at the gym twice a week and swam in the pool three days out of the week. So he was in shape. The jog he had struck still got him to the Fox & Hound 10 minutes late. Dan was breathing slightly hard but he was able to catch his breath by the time he had ascended the stairs to the fancy British restaurant's waiting room.
A quick search of the restaurant showed that Liza was no where to be found, though the maitre d' said that she was there. She must have gotten tired of waiting for him and left. Dan shrugged. He hoped flowers would get a pardon for him, but he didn't think it would. This was the fourth date in a row that Dan had been late for. Sighing, he began the walk back to his apartment. He would get something to eat there. No need to spend money if he could save it by eating in.
* * * * *
Malina looked at the moon. It was high enough now to be close to time when she would resume her assignment for the evening. She had observed Daniel Cockran enough to know that he was usually home by 9 p.m., human time. The occasional nights he went out, he was still in fairly early, so she felt confident that by the time she reached his apartment, he would be there.
She was right. Since he lived on the bottom floor, her observation was made easier, although it would have not been an effort for her to scale the walls to a higher level if she had to: her claws and balance were more than adequate for the job. Her tail flicked back and forth nervously until she had settled herself in below his bedroom window. This was were he tended to spend most of his evening hours, reading in bed with only the small lamp beside him for light. This night looked to be the usual predictable evening and she wished he was just a tad bit more exciting to watch.... like he was when he was working out or teaching a class. His vitality and love of his work shone through and it was during these times that she got her best photographs. But in the evening he simply did not lead a very exciting life.
She watched closely as he came out of the tiny bathroom, switching the light out and climbed in bed with only his boxer shorts on. A low purr began deep in her throat at the sight of him and her tail flicked unexpectedly. Malina liked what she saw...alot.
* * * * *
Dan lay in the spacious bed and stared up at the ceiling. He was restless and full of energy and he didn't feel like reading or watching TV. Suddenly he was hot so he tossed the clothes down to the foot of the bed, leaving only a sheet covering his muscular body.
When he had arrived home he had tried to call Liz, but she didn't answer. So he had left a message on her machine. Maybe she would call when she got in or tomorrow. But Dan doubted it. Liz had had enough of his tardiness.
He thought of Liz. She had been a student of his last semester and her long red-copper hair had been the first thing that he had noticed when she walked in to his classroom. Her blue eyes and Grecian features were the next things he noticed. She was a very attractive co-ed and Dan had been immediately drawn to her. But she was his student, and he refused to break his rule of not dating those he taught.
That had been how it had stayed until earlier this semester. Dan had been walking down on Simon Street, the main college drag. Liz had come out of the laundromat at the same time that he had been crossing in front of it, and they had collided. Liz had dropped her laundry basket and Dan helped her pick the things up. They started talking and eventually went to have a cup of coffee together. One thing led to another, and since they were no longer in a teacher-student relationship, Dan had kissed the redhead. They made plans to do something that weekend and that was the beginning.
