Rick Rolled by Aliens

“Dad can we not watch the news?” I say, plopping down next to my dad on our brown leather couch with a tray of white cheddar crackers and spicy mango jam. “Its supposed to be family time.

“I want to watch the big Presidential speech!”

“Dad, the President is always making speeches. They’re playing Men in Black on the sci-fi channel.”

“Sitara,you’re an adult paying for streaming services, find your own time to watch,” My mom says from the dining room.

I groan. I am so sick of politics. I’m visiting home after a very long time away. I am doing an internship for a very secretive government facility, an internship many people, including my family, question the existence of. Though mine is of more of science based job, I do find myself observing politics of all kinds from distant lands.

“Shhhh…” My dad shushes. My brother quietly sits next to me and starts eating my crackers, glancing at me quizzically. I shrug. A conversation made with just two looks. President Wilkes appears on TV, clad in a navy blue suit and red tie. His balding white hair was combed back. The vice president and other very important people were standing on the sides of the stage. A deep red curtain hung behind them, making it seem almost like it was a theater. Well, I guess politics is full of drama.

“Good evening, America. As you know, SpaceX is working on building a new colony out there among the stars.” There’s applause. I nearly snort. “I come here today in front of you all today to announce that America will be ahead of this bold new mission.”

“Booo!! Tomato tomato!!” I boo at the TV.

“Dude, aren’t you always going on and on about space travel?” My brother, Shravan, points out.

“Yeah but also the government can be taking care of the homeless problem before-”

“SHH!!!”

I sigh and continue to watch. Yes, my dream as a kid has been to live among the stars, and sure my internship is bringing me closer to that, but the state of the world has me preferring to fix the world first.

“Those commies down in Russia and China are chugging ahead of what may be the second ever Space race,” I choked down another scoff, “And God knows what North Korea is up to but-”

Suddenly a familiar music started to play. High pitched strings and then… The camera pans outward and a large projection of “Never gonna give you up” starts to play. Rick Astley a good 50 feet tall, is dancing behind the president.

Never gonna give you up! Never gonna let you down!

“What is going on?” I ask out loud.

“A terrorist attack?” My dad says, uncertain.

Never gonna run around and desert you!!

“Hang on folks,” The president says, laughing while he looks up. “Somebody is playing a joke aren’t they? Maybe my buddy-”

Rick Astley suddenly stops dancing and singing and looks at the camera, serious. I don’t remember this from the video.

“We find this declaration of war alarming, America. If you want to conquer our home, we will fight you for it. As punishment, we are taking your leaders.”

Suddenly, a large crash sounded from the screen. There’s screams, and a silver spaceship flies down, and a large holographic light shines on the president. He floats upward and disappears into the spaceship, which flies off.

My jaw drops. Everyone is in shock. The president has literally been kidnapped.

But my shock is different. I recognize that ship.

“What-what just happened?” My brother asks, breaking the silence.

“Hang on, maybe this isn’t the real feed,” My dad says, flipping channels. But every channel is saying the same thing. “Who would kidnap the president? The Russians??”

“Dad you cannot say that.” My brother remarks. “It looks like an alien spaceship”

“I think I need to call my boss…” I mumble.

“Why?” Literally all three family members say together.

“None…none of your business.”

“Just because you work for the government doesn’t mean-”

“Ugh don’t bother me…”

With that, I scramble to my room, and slam the door behind me. I take a device out of my bag and flip it on. I hit a few buttons and dial my boss.

“Director Crain, did you see the news?” I say, without greeting.

“Sitara, hi yes I did. You’re the first one to call, but I can see a lot of messages coming my way. Everyone is going crazy. "

“Why did the Andromedan First Order kidnap the President?”

“You remembered which ship that was? That saved me some time-er…. You may have to cut your vacation home short.”

“I-I think I saw that coming.”

“You’re the most talented intern I’ve seen. We normally wouldn’t call you back like this but-”

“No no its okay… It is Area 51 after all.”

Well. Guess my trip home is being cut short.

Now how the hell do I tell my family that my surprisingly real job is calling me back?

————

“You.. what?”

“HAVE TO GO.”

“WHERE DO YOU HAVE TO GO?” My brother is following me around as I dart around my childhood room to pack.

“BACK TO WORK!”

“WHY?”

“I CAN’T TELL YOU, FOR THE BILLIONTH TIME, ITS TOP SECRET!”

“YOU’RE AN INTERN, HOW-”

I turn around and grab my teenage brother’s shoulders. “I have told you and everyone else that I literally cannot say a word about the work I do. I work for a government facility, that’s all I can say. Now if you ask ME AGAIN I WILL-”

“Hey! Stop fighting! Sitara-” I hear my mom’s voice as she approaches my room. “You-you’re actually packing? Why do you have to go, you’re in science research right?” She looks between me, my mini suitcase, and my travel backpack. “You just got here a few days ago.”

I sigh and massage my temple.

I’ve been at my 1 year internship for 6 months now. In those 6 months, I’ve met and analyzed dozens of aliens that were all colors of the rainbow (or none at all), as small as a rabbit to as tall as my house (yeah I don’t know how we snuck that one in. I’ve been inside spaceships straight out of sci-fi movies, spaceships that my brother would drool over, because we both are space nerds.

All of it kept secret because I signed a contract with the US government stating I will not discuss any of my work ever for the rest of my life or I could be locked up, probably in the black site prison that’s on the moon.

“Dad get in here!” I shout for my dad, who’s eyes are probably still glued to the TV. I hear him click his tongue and make his way to my tornado of a room.

“What is it? Why are you packing?” He asks, looking at me confused.

I get up and gesture to my bed. “You all need to sit down.”

“Why” Shravan asks.

“Just. Sit. Down.” Everyone sits down, the bed creaking as it does.

I take a deep breath.

“I work for Area 51.”