Sophia felt the warmth of the blankets around her, and her head practically sank into the plushy smoothness of her pillow. She felt like she was back home, the Lavender 1 being just some distant memory or maybe even a dream. But then she remembered that she never had pillows or blankets this comfortable in her entire life and jutted upright in the bed.

What in the… was all she could think as she took in her new location. She was in a bedchamber, but unlike a regular old place to sleep, it was the size of three houses and made entirely out of gold. The walls were painted with luxurious murals depicting scenes from various folklore that she had no possible chance of identifying. Her bed was bigger than any room that she had slept in before and covered in what she assumed to be expensive green silks and satins.

She took it all in for a moment- and then promptly slapped herself across the face. Okay, so this is not a dream. She thought, her cheek turning red.

When one is placed into an uncomfortable position it is natural for them to want to get out of it. Sophia crawled across the unthinkably large bed and tumbled to the floor. Only then did she notice that her leg was covered in a honey-colored bandage. The crash! She remembered. Shit, where are the others?

From the other end of the massive chamber, a split in the wall opened up and revealed an opening door. Something walked in, it was dressed in what seemed like a ceremonial gown of some sort and it stood upright like a human- but it clearly wasn’t. Sophia’s eyes widened as backed away, the hair on the back of her neck rising. “Stay away!” She shouted.

The figure stopped abruptly and dropped a tray that it was carrying. “Forgive me, Goddess!” It declared, falling to its knees and them prostrating itself before her.

Sophia couldn’t believe her eyes. This alien- she assumed it was an alien because why wouldn’t she- was like something out of a movie. Around its elongated head, three eyes sat across its face in a line. Its ears shot upward, kind of like an elf. The alien had skin that appeared orangish-red and above its head, only one stray strand of hair sat perfectly centered in the middle. But to Sophia, the most alarming now wasn’t its appearance, but rather the fact it was begging for forgiveness.

“Forgive me, my Goddess! I did not mean to disturb you, I only sought to bring you nourishment for when you awoke!” Next to the tray, something that resembled food was splattered against the golden floor.

Now, Sophia had three ways of approaching this situation. Option 1: Demand an explanation for what was going on. Option 2: Play along and try to figure it out on her own. Then of course there was the option that she actually chose which was: Option 3: Run for her life.

Sophia darted by the strange alien- it barely even noticed through its own cries of forgiveness. Outside the room, she came to a hallway just as luxurious as her room, but she wasn’t in the mood to admire the architecture. She ran and ran, still not knowing where she was going. She just didn’t want to be here.

She ploughed through a door and found that she was feeling a cool breeze on her skin. She was outside on a balcony- a balcony that happened to overlook the city. Gobsmacked is a funny word that isn’t used as often as it should be. It’s laughable because of how it sounds and it’s also humous because it was the only word that could properly describe how Sophia felt at this very moment.

Before her lay a massive city, going on for as far as her tired eyes could see. There were buildings next to buildings, and in some cases, houses on top of houses. It took her a second to put it together, but it wasn’t just her room or these hallways that were made of gold, it was the entire city! Above these impossible structures, the sky was a familiar color, it was a green sky! Sophia was in awe of it, how was that even possible? There was also a sun in the sky, thank goodness, but it seemed smaller than what her sun was like. Maybe she had been in the Lavender 1 for too long and had forgotten how it was supposed to look, or maybe this sun was just a little further away from the planet than she was used to. She followed the sun’s beams down to the city, her eyes twinkling as it reflected off of the golden buildings. Holy shit.

But then her focus shifted from the city to where a large mass of land sat. It was one of the tallest mountains she had ever seen, she wouldn’t be surprised if it gave Everest a run for its money. But at the bottom, she noticed a giant ship that was battered, bruised, and smoking. She had never seen the Lavender 1 from the outside before and seeing it now truly put the ship into perspective. It’s hard to imagine what it looked like, but if you could envision an exclamation mark the size of a dozen football fields resting on its side, you may just be able to see it. Sophia noticed that indeed, the ship did kind of look like an !- with the large, circular glass dome being the dot at the end of the massive, broken vessel.

Sophia was gobsmacked, absolutely gobsmacked. She was so gobsmacked that she didn’t even notice the alien walking up from behind her. “Goddess?”

She nearly jumped over the railing. “Get away!” She screamed, not sure what else to say.

“Holy Deliverer, why are you frightened?” The alien’s voice was soft and low, it would be comforting in any other situation.

Sophia attempted to back away, but since she was on a balcony she could only get as far as the railing before stopping. Calm down! She thought. You have to play this cool…

“Yes, erm… I…” She stumbled. “I was just getting some exercise, yeah, that’s it.”

“I see.” The alien lied. “Why you like to come back inside, the great star is bright today and it is cooler in the palace.”

“Palace?” Sophia asked. “I’m in a palace?”

“Why of course! Where else should the Goddess in Green rest?”

Sophia smiled a nodded, though inside she was screaming. “Goddess… in Green? What do you…” She stopped when she looked down at her clothes. It would seem that her personal stylistic choice of wearing the color green exclusively had more far-reaching consequences than she expected “Oh.”

The alien extended their hand. “Come inside, your holiness.”

Sophia reluctantly took their hand as they led them back inside. I would tell you what she was thinking at the time but that much profanity would be uncalled for. I will tell you that much of it began with the phrases ‘what the’ and ‘get me the,’ along with some internal screaming. Eventually, after a lot of boring walking, the alien led Sophia into a large room- which at this point seemed to be the main stylistic choice of the architecture.

Now Sophia had been to enough weddings to instantly know that she was in a church. Pews and pews filled the side of the walkway in front of her, each seat being filled with another alien wearing the same ceremonial garb. With the entire city being made out of gold, she was a little amused to find that the altar that sat squarely in front of the pews was made out of cheap bronze. Stained glass windows lined the walls but instead of your typical religious figure, Sophia was greatly disturbed to find that her own image was plastered on the glass.

The stained glass portrayed her in several different positions. In one she held the world in one hand and a giant bell in the other, another showed her cupping her hands around her mouth and yelling, while the one that lay right behind the altar depicted her on top of a mountain with her arms outstretched. Sophia tried to act natural, but if you were in her shoes, you couldn’t blame her for failing.

There was a murmur in the crowd when she walked in. Eyes glued on to her like gum underneath a desk- she didn’t like it at all. She backed away but felt a hand stop her. “Here is our Goddess! Our Deliverer!” The crowd erupted from their seats and cheered. Sophia hated the noise but hated the fact that she was being pushed up to the alter a whole lot more. “Brothers, sisters, I welcome you to gaze upon our Holy Goddess with reverence and humility!”

Everyone in the church turned all three of their eyes to obey the command. Sophia somehow felt like curling into a ball and punching them all in the face at the same time. She had put together now that the alien that had led her inside was some sort of leader, they all listened to them without a question.

“My Goddess.” Said the alien, bowing down before her. “My name is Xulut-Indula, I am but your humble and devoted servant.”

“Hmm… thanks.” Sophia smiled a nodded, what else could she do?

“Do you have any words for us? Any Holy Knowledge that you’d like to pass on to your eager followers?”

No! Sophia screamed in her head, but her mouth said. “Yes… yes, I do.”

Eagerly the crowd leaned forward and awaited her testimony. Unfortunately, Sophia did not come prepared with a sermon, and the only thing she remembered from church was ‘do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?’ Which at the moment didn’t seem like it would help. She raised her hands up, mimicking the thing that she had seen Alex do when he was trying to keep everyone calm.

“My people! I am your God! I am you, erm, Deliverer? And now I shall pass onto you my… Holy Knowledge?” She took a deep breath and searched her mind for anything to talk about. “I am here to speak to you about… ah… love? Sure, why not. Love is patient, love is kind! It is not, um, demanding or undemanding? Love is like a… fruit! Like the fruit the grows in the Garden of Eden! And the fruit in the garden, uh, is temptation! Because love is tempting, but we still shouldn’t eat the fruit because… I um… because…” Xulut-Indula was looking at her rather confused but listening intently. “Because love is not… juicy?”

The crowd took a minute to process her words but sensing that she was done they all got up from their seats and clapped. Sophia was having enough of this, and she waved them down. “Listen!” She declared. “Now I have a request for you! I did not come here alone; I came with my… three loyal disciples. I would like to see them… now!”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible, my Goddess.” Replied Xulut-Indula, mournfully.

Sophia looked at her and her heart sank. She didn’t even think to wonder if her friends had even survived the crash. “Are they…”

“They are being detained.” The Priestess explained. “They must be detained until judgement be placed upon them.”

Sophia sighed in relief. “Judgement? Judgement for what?”

“For desecrating Tallizumdul.” Xulut-Indula replied blankly. “Such an offense shall not go unpunished.”

“The mountain?” Sophia recalled the sight of the Lavender 1 smoking and wrecked at the base of it. “Well, I was in the ship too when it happened, why am I not being detained?”

The Priestess smiled and tilted her head. “Because, your Holiness, you are the Goddess in Green! We would not dare to defy a god!”

“Well then, as your god I command you to release them!” Sophia crossed her arms and puffed out her chest, trying to seem imposing.

“But they must be judged!” Xulut-Indula protested.

“Who better to judge them than a god?” Damn, I think I’m getting the hang of this. Sophia thought. “Bring them to me at once, I need them!”

…

Unfortunately, ‘Most Times Unconscious in a Day’ is not an official competition because if it was Timothy would certainly be in the running. At this point, he had been knocked out so many times he was making professional boxers worried for his health. Of course, if he could have avoided doing said action, he certainly would have.

The first time he had woken up he was in the arms of Mr. Graham, the second he was sitting on a table in the ‘Med’ room of the Lavender 1, and for the third time he was chained to a wall inside of a poorly lit holding cell. Timothy couldn’t be certain that he was in a holding cell- but from the way his hands were bolted to the back of the wall and from the way the guard outside the barred door looked at him, he could make a pretty good guess. Speaking of the guard, he was clearly not human, which Timothy was rather surprised by. Noticing that his prisoner was awake, the officer turned and faced him.

“Now you better not be a chatter!” Cried the guard, pointing his finger at him. “I can’t stand chatters.”

Timothy might not be the brightest bulb in the drawer but even he knew when to be quiet. He shut his mouth and pursed his lips, where have I gone now? He wondered.

“My head…”

Timothy looked over and saw that his two new friends were also in the holding cell with him, they didn’t look too swell. Neil had started to wake up and his groaning caused the guard to roll his eyes. “Always making noise! One day I swear imma loose it!”

He knew that he shouldn’t speak, but he couldn’t just leave his friend hanging. “Neil.” Timothy said, as quietly as he could. “Neil it’s me, you’re okay… I hope.”

Neil’s eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was the guard. “Oh…” He said warily. “We’re being held prisoner by aliens, aren’t we? Well, I told them this would happen, I always knew it was aliens!”

“Shh, keep your voice down. I don’t think the guard likes noise very much, I don’t want to disturb him.”

The guard in question could very plainly hear this entire conversation, but years of being in this position had taught him that no matter what he did- the prisoners always talked. Of course, this didn’t stop him from trying to shut them up. “I ain’t gonna warm you again!” He tried to make his voice sound like he would actually do it.

Timothy and Neil nodded as the guard turned away, crossing his fingers. After a moment of sweet, peaceful silence Neil whispered. “I see you and Alex, where’s Sophia?”

“Oh dear, I have no idea.” Timothy frowned. “I only just woke up myself, I hope she’s alright!”

“Me two.” Neil looked Timothy up and down. “How are you doing? Is your head, okay?”

Timothy tried to reach over and touch his head, but since he was in handcuffs that wasn't possible. “I think it’s fine, though if it isn’t, at least I’m awake!”

Neil blinked. “How the hell are you so optimistic? We’re in some alien jail, chained to a wall, and you’re just happy being awake?”

“Of course, I am!” Timothy protested. “I would hate to be unconscious again, it isn’t really pleasant! It’s cold and dark, and you hear a voice saying things.”

“A voice?” Neil raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I don’t know how it got in there!”

Neil laughed, then realized he wasn’t joking. “Oh.” He said, his eyes widening. “Timothy, you weren’t in a mental hospital when you touched the Triangle, right?”

“No?” Timothy felt a little uncomfortable, he’d had people question him like this before- people that looked at him like he was crazy. He never really understood why. “Can you, not?”

Neil remembered himself. “Sorry.” He spoke. “That was a rude question. I didn’t mean…”

“For the love of the Goddess in Green, would you just shut up!” The guard screamed, his face somehow getting redder. “I swear, one day imma get out of this dump and go someplace quiet- someplace serene!”

“Why don’t you go there now?” Alex murmured, finally waking up. “You can leave the key with us.”

“Oh good, you’re awake.” Neil exclaimed. “You, okay?”

Alex’s body ached like he was thrown into the speed cycle of a washing machine, everything felt bruised. “No.” He answered. “Everything hurts.”

“Like in a ‘I need medical help now’ sort of way?”

“No?”

“Then good, you’re fine.”

“Hey Alex!” Timothy smiled.

“Oh, hey Timothy! I’m glad you’re not dead!”

“Me too!”

“You looked like your brains had been fried on that chair.” Neil remarked. “I thought you were a goner for sure.”

“Well, at least we know you have a thick skull.” Alex smiled, his face hurting when he did so.

“I’ve been told that a lot, actually.”

“Enough!” The guard screamed, walking towards the door. “I don’t get paid enough for this…”

The door suddenly swung open, and the surprised guard darted back to his post. “Are the prisoners awake?” Said a strong, masculine voice.

“Yes.” The guard’s voice was practically drowned in contempt. “Very.”

The three in the cell watched an alien man walk toward them. He was dressed in armor made of majestic gold with a white sash across it. Despite the aliens having a completely different bone structure to a human, he appeared to have a chiseled jaw. “Hello, my name is Zerat-Mondul, and I have been ordered by the Goddess herself to bring you to her.”

“The Goddess?” The guard’s eyes went wide. “Has she arrived?”

Zerat-Mondul rested a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “Yes, yes she has.”

“The Goddess? Who is she?” Neil was curious.

The guard gasped. “Do not blaspheme!”

“Strange,” Said Zerat-Mondul, looking the prisoners up and down. “You would think those who are considered the disciples of the Goddess herself would know her title.”

Alex’s leg was just long enough to reach over and kick Neil by the shin. “Forgive him, he is still a little dazed from our landing, he’ll come around in a minute.” Alex shot Neil a look, we need to play along.

“Ah, yes.” Neil stammered, getting the message. “My head… so dazed.”

Zerat-Mondul smiled, “Very well, release them and we shall be on our way.”

As the three were let go, Timothy and Alex were thankful to have the use of their hands back. Neil didn’t notice the pleasant freedom; he was focused on another matter. The only thing that he could notice was that the aliens both had a very sharp blade at their sides- a blade that looked sharp enough to cut through all three of them in a single slice. Neil watched as Zerat-Mondul led them from behind- it was clear that this alien wanted to keep a close eye on them. Whatever was going on was very delicate, Neil imagined, any wrong move could end up getting them killed.

Alex was right, they needed to play along.