Mork's Abduction

by Morkgirl

Mork is abducted by human scientists who want to study him. Can Mindy rescue him?

Mork's Abduction

Part One

Intense pressure, like the persistent dull throb of a migraine, gripped Mindy's head in her sleep. Moaning in pain, she stirred and tried to awaken, but a wave of dizziness prevented her, leaving her disoriented, her body feeling weightless and adrift in the vast darkness that surrounded her. Frightened and confused, she struggled and grasped for something solid to hold onto, something that would anchor her and make the spinning stop. As she floated in the emptiness, she began to hear a deep, booming voice that was strangely comforting. The panic she initially felt began to fade along with the pain, a sense of calm and relief replacing it. The voice was distant and garbled at first, but gradually the words it uttered became coherent.

"Testing, one…two…Orson calling Mindy! Orson calling Mindy! Come in, Mindy! Is this thing working? Mindy, please respond if you can hear me!"

"Orson?" Mindy asked, squinting in the darkness. "Orson, Mork's superior? How did you contact me? I thought you could only speak to Mork."

"I am as surprised as you that I was able to establish a connection, especially with a lower life form."

"Hey!"

"I did not come to insult you, Mindy."

"Well, you could have fooled me." She searched the darkness for the morbidly obese form that Mork had described to her. She saw nothing. "How come I can't see you?"

"It must be a bad connection—as I said, lower life form. At least you can hear me. You can hear me, correct?"

"Yes I can, but why did you contact me instead of Mork? Is there something wrong?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Mork is missing."

"Missing?"

"Yes, and I cannot reach him. Usually when there is an emergency with one of our ambassadors when they are off-planet, a signal beacon alerts us that they are in danger. With Mork, I have heard nothing."

"Did you try to contact him?"

"Yes, several times, but it is as if his mind is disconnected—uh, I mean, even more so than usual."

The sense of panic and dread that filled Mindy when she was floating in the darkness returned to her.

"What do you think might have happened to him? Do you think he's hurt?" She asked.

"I am not certain. I am, however, requesting your assistance in locating him. Despite evidence to the contrary, he is quite important to Ork."

"Of course, Orson. I would do anything to help," Mindy said, her eyes filling with tears. "If something terrible has happened to him, I don't know what I'd do."

A brief, uncomfortable silence followed. Mindy heard Orson clear his throat.

"You…care a great deal for Mork, don't you?" He asked.

"Well of course I do. Don't you?"

"Emotions are considered primitive on Ork, but I suppose I will allow that…uh, I like him…yes."

It was a stiff and not exactly heartwarming admission, but Mindy knew that beneath the awkward delivery he actually meant what he said.

"Orson, I don't know what has happened to Mork, but I promise you that I will help you find him. I'll do whatever it takes."

"I know you will. Please have Mork report to me as soon as you find him and he is able."

"I will, Orson."

"You may sign off now, Mindy."

"Uh…okay…goodbye, Orson."

Orson sighed.

"What? Not good enough?"

"I keep forgetting that you are an ignorant Earthling. You are unfamiliar with our customs. Mork usually says, 'Nanu-Nanu'."

"Oh, I forgot. I'm sorry. Uh…Nanu-Nanu, Sir."

"Nanu-Nanu."

Mindy's eyes opened. Bright sunlight filtered through her curtains. Groggily, she reached for the alarm clock on her nightstand. It was nine o'clock in the morning. Sitting up in bed and yawning, she vaguely remembered the conversation with Orson and looked around her bedroom in confusion.

"What a strange dream," she said.

Getting out of bed, she put on her robe and slippers and headed for the kitchen. At least it was Saturday so she could get more rest if she needed it. She felt as if she hadn't slept at all, her body sore and tired. She couldn't wait to tell Mork what happened. He probably wouldn't believe her or would laugh at the very notion that Orson would condescend to speak to a lowly Earth creature. If anything, it would at least be an amusing anecdote to share with him and start their morning together.

"Come on Mork, it's time to get up!" She shouted, grabbing two bowls for cereal out of the cabinet.

She waited a few minutes. There was no response from the attic, not even the sound of movement across the floorboards. It was eerily silent. Normally even when Mork was sleeping, she would hear something, like his toes snoring or the gentle squeak of his trapeze bar as he rocked back and forth.

"Mork, you can't sleep all day! Now come on, let's have some breakfast."

Once again, she was greeted by unfamiliar silence. Beginning to worry, the vivid conversation she had in her sleep with Orson returning to her memory, she set the cereal bowls down on the counter and climbed the stairs to the attic that Mork had converted into his own eclectic apartment, a space that even the most dedicated of pack rats would find bizarre, various odds and ends strewn about, a half-dressed, headless mannequin and a taxidermy elk head silently guarding the room.

"Mork, are you up here?" She asked, finding his trapeze bar unoccupied. She looked around, not finding him anywhere. "Come on, Mork, this isn't funny."

Glancing at the trunk on the floor, she remembered when he transformed into a 3-year-old with the Orkan age machine and hid in that trunk, jumping out and surprising her with a gleeful, mischievous child's laugh. Wondering if he was hiding in there again, she approached the trunk slowly, a playful grin on her face.

"Morky, come out, come out, wherever you are," she teased.

Carefully, she opened the trunk lid, expecting him to leap out of it. When he didn't and she found it empty except for a few moth-eaten pieces of clothing, she began to feel alarmed. The conversation with Orson now seemed less like a dream and more like a reality.

"Oh no, he's really missing," she said. "Orson was right—Mork's gone!"

Mork's Abduction

Part Two

"Our subject is regaining consciousness, Doctor."

Mork, strapped to a hospital gurney, stirred and mumbled some gibberish in Orkan, his eyes struggling to flutter open. Two men in white lab coats stood over him, watching him in fascination.

"Amazing," the doctor said. "He looks so…human. After all my years of research, and after all the anticipation of finally realizing the day when I would at last encounter a being from another planet, he's not at all what I would have expected. I suppose that is the danger of making any assumptions in scientific inquiry."

"Are you sure we have the right specimen?"

"I have observed him since he landed on earth. There can be no doubt as to his true nature."

Mork squirmed violently beneath the restraints, frowning and mumbling, once again trying to awaken, wrestling in his sleep with a vivid dream.

"We certainly took a risk removing him from Ms. McConnell's home in the middle of the night."

"I know, but it was the only time we could take him, when he was asleep. We don't know enough about his biology yet to know what effect sedatives would have on him."

"Won't she look for him once she learns of his disappearance?"

The doctor shrugged. "I suppose she will, but she knows he is an extraterrestrial as much as we do. She will probably assume that he returned to his planet of origin."

"And if she doesn't?"

The doctor grinned. "Only a few people in her life know what he is—her father and grandmother, and we are closely monitoring them," he said. "The rest of the town thinks he's an eccentric. If they tell everyone he's missing, they will have to conduct a search for him as if he's a human, in which case they will never find him. They couldn't tell everyone he was an alien without appearing eccentric themselves."

"Shouldn't we detain and debrief them?"

The doctor looked at Mork and frowned. "Later," he said. "First, we need to learn everything we can from this creature, study him. Release him from the restraints."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

The doctor looked around his laboratory. He walked over to a section that was void of equipment, a space that seemed empty. Before he reached it, he made a fist and tapped on an invisible wall.

"You see this?" He asked. "This material was developed by our engineers and acts as a type of force field, if you will. It's bullet-proof and several inches thick even though it is unseen by the human eye. We will put our subject safely behind this wall. He will be unable to escape."

"But you told me about his finger—

"Yes, but it will be powerless against this barrier."

"Do you think so? What if he resists and his…uh…people from his home planet retaliate?"

The doctor shook his head. "You cannot be a scientist and conduct experiments without facing the unknown," he said. "Besides, I've been observing this creature. He's harmless."

"If you say so."

"Help me put him in the room and remove the restraints. We will watch him on the closed circuit camera until he regains full consciousness."

Mork rolled off the narrow gurney, collapsing to the floor. The force of the fall was enough to jar him awake, leaving him dizzy and nauseated.

"Whoa, I haven't felt this awful since the Venutian flu," he said, gripping his head and waiting for the dizziness to subside.

Colored dots danced in front of his eyes before crowding out his vision entirely and fading to black, threatening to send him back into unconsciousness. Taking a few deep breaths, he was at last able to restore his bearings. Looking up from where he fell, he noticed the gurney. "Well it's no wonder I was dizzy. For some reason I slept horizontally. What a nimnull."

Using the gurney to steady himself, he pulled himself upright and looked around. "Wow, Mindy sure has changed her apartment," he said, looking at the sterile lab equipment and computers that surrounded him. "I like it. It looks more like home." He walked around until he bumped into the invisible barrier. "Shazbot! I could do without this invisible wallpaper, though."

Curious, he reached out his hand, touching the barrier and following it. It seemed to surround him on all sides like the bars of a cage, containing him and preventing him from moving forward any further into the room. He had never seen material quite like it before, even on Ork. It seemed far too advanced for the primitive Earthlings to create, and he didn't think Mindy was capable of it either, even though he loved her and considered her almost his equal in intelligence. Slowly he began to realize that someone was holding him prisoner.

"Wait a minute—this isn't Mindy's apartment," he said. "At least, I don't think it is, unless she tricked me and put me in a trap to send me to her Earthling superiors." He thought briefly about the time that she could have turned him in for a reward. "No, she wouldn't do that to me. Would she?" He pounded on the barrier and looked helplessly around him. "Mindy! Mindy, where are you? I'm scared! Mindy, please come out! You've got to help me! Mindy!"

"Mindy isn't here," the doctor said, appearing from another room, a heavy stainless steel door closing gently behind him.

Mork observed him carefully. He was small, thin, neat, and non-threatening, a pleasant smile on his face.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" He asked.

"Relax, Mork. I'm not going to hurt you."

"How do you know my name?"

"I've been watching you for quite some time. I know all about you. My name is Dr. Feldman. I work for a top secret branch of the United States government that specializes in the study of extraterrestrials. Aliens. Like you, Mork."

"How do you know I'm an alien, huh? What if I'm just a crazy, fun-loving guy?"

Dr. Feldman smirked. "My sources are never misinformed," he said.

"Oh, yeah? And who are your sources, Mr. Smartypants?"

Dr. Feldman remembered what Mork had said about Mindy, something about her revealing him to the world. He had an idea.

"Mindy McConnell," he said.

"Yeah, what about her?"

"You know her, don't you Mork?"

"Well I—

"Don't deny it. I know you do. You were shouting her name before I entered."

"Maybe it was a different Mindy. Did you ever think of that? Huh? Huh?"

Dr. Feldman couldn't help but be amused by this being's innocent, childlike behavior. He knew it would be easy to deceive him and he would eagerly believe the lies and accept them as truth because he was simply too trusting and naïve. He had watched it happen to him many times before in his interactions with other humans. Now, he was going to use it to his advantage.

"Oh no, I think it's the same Mindy, all right," he said. "You care for her a great deal, don't you?"

Mork looked down at the floor.

"Oh yes, I know you do. As I said, I've been watching you. Do you want to know how she repaid your love and trust in her, Mork? She turned you in. She delivered you to us to study you, to experiment on you. She told us all about you, about what you really are and where you came from."

Mork looked at him, horrified. "No! I won't believe it, I won't!" He shouted.

"It's true," Dr. Feldman said. "She said she didn't see the difference between you coming here to study us and us studying you in return. It seems like a fair exchange of knowledge, don't you think? After all, if we are ever to advance, we will have to learn all we can from you, wouldn't you agree?"

"But I came here on a peaceful mission. You took me by force and hold me captive. Orkans would never do that to a human, or to any other being for that matter."

"I know that, Mork. I also know that your people are non-violent. They won't retaliate against Earth for your capture or demand your release."

Mork knew that was true, but he didn't want to admit it. They would rather sacrifice one Orkan than involve themselves in an intergalactic war against a mainly innocent and less advanced society. It would serve them no purpose. He began to realize that he was on his own, that he would have to use his own resourcefulness to survive.

Dr. Feldman watched him. Even though he wasn't telepathic, he could sense what the alien was thinking. "No one is coming to rescue you, Mork," he said. "You might as well cooperate and provide us will all the information you have about Ork, about your species."

"What if I don't want to?"

Dr. Feldman shook his head. "You don't seem to understand," he said. "You might as well cooperate. You have no other options available to you. Those walls that imprison you are impenetrable. This lab is a fortress, buried deep beneath a mountain, unseen and unknown to the general public. You can't escape."

"Oh, a lot you know," Mork said.

He pulled out his finger and began zapping the invisible barrier that held him. Dr. Feldman marveled at the power the emanated from it, arching and sparking like an acetylene torch. Still, he knew that his efforts were useless, so a part of him also watched in silent amusement at the futility of it. Mork cut what he thought was a door out of the barrier, and when he was finished, he laughed defiantly and tried to push open the hole he had cut for himself. When the material wouldn't move, he pushed harder, grunting and struggling, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"I don't understand," he said, panting from his exertions. He studied the material. He could clearly see the lines where his finger had cut into the material, but it had barely pierced the surface. "That was my best work, too."

"Not bad for a primitive society, huh?" Dr. Feldman said.

"I don't care what you do to me. I won't cooperate with you, never!"

"Mork, I'm not going to torture you. Think of yourself as my guest."

"Yeah, some hospitality you've got here," Mork grumbled, touching the barrier. He turned his back to the doctor and sat down, sliding against the wall as he went. He curled his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly, seeking any form of comfort that he could find now that Mindy had deserted and betrayed him. Mindy. He still couldn't believe it. She had seemed so sweet. He stared sadly into the distance, resigned.

"Don't you see—I can't afford to lose you. Earth can't afford it. It would be too great a loss to the progress of our civilization. You may have seen many lifeforms from other planets on Ork, but here on Earth it's still a rarity. Do you know how long my department has been waiting for an opportunity like this? For an opportunity to study an actual alien being? I've nearly been laughed out of the facility several times. They called me a delusional lunatic for even believing in the possibility of life on other planets. I nearly lost my funding. But now that you're here…well, that changes everything."

"I see. I didn't realize how important it was," Mork said. He turned and looked pleadingly at the doctor. "But can't you just let me go, let me be free? I'll still help you."

"I wish I could believe you, Mork," Dr. Feldman said, sighing.

"But you can! I promise."

"I'm sure I can, but my department wouldn't approve. I'm afraid I need to keep you in my laboratory and study you here. It won't be so bad. In time, if you prove helpful, I'll improve your room, decorate it any way you like, make it seem more like a home instead of a jail cell. I'll make you feel comfortable and welcome here. I know it looks pretty bleak right now, but this setup is only temporary. Soon, you'll feel at home and won't want to leave. You'll begin to wonder why you even considered it."

Mork wanted to believe him, but he wasn't as innocent and trusting as the doctor believed. A part of him knew what was really going to happen to him, because Orkans used to do the same thing with earthling specimens. He would become a zoo exhibit, a curiosity, a bizarre creature for humans to gawk at. He would never have any peace or privacy. He would be paraded around the world and asked endless questions, maybe even asked to demonstrate his powers as if they were parlor tricks, played to the amusement of the audience. When they were through with him as a living specimen, they would want to dissect him, see his internal anatomy. When they were finished with that, he would become an exhibit in a museum somewhere, stuffed like Moo-Moo the elk was in Mindy's attic was stuffed, forever staring blankly into the distance, unseeing. The thought of it was terrifying to him, as far as he understood the emotion of fear, and he shivered at the prospect of becoming an Earthling science experiment instead of an Orkan with a free will.

"You'll be protected here," Dr. Feldman said in a soothing voice, trying to convince him. "I won't allow any harm to come to you, and besides, you have nowhere else to go."

"Yes I do—home."

"This is your home now."

Mork knew he was right, now that Mindy had abandoned him. For all he knew, she would apprehend him the moment he attempted to escape and return him. It seemed it was her earthly duty, after all. How could he have been so misled about her? She used her charm and beauty to ensnare him. He'd been such a fool. Tears began to roll down his cheeks.

"I know you're frightened," Dr. Feldman said, noticing his tears. "This is a new situation for you. But I promise things will get better. I will take care of you. "

"Mindy," Mork gasped between choking sobs. He buried his wet face in his hands and trembled.

"You need to forget about her. After all, she gave you up. She doesn't care about you the way you thought she did, but I will. I'll care for you. You're valuable to the United States government. I won't allow anything to happen to you."

That's because I'm your property now, Mork thought. He realized there was one small chance of escape, and that was to use his mind to contact Orson, seek his counsel.

"Doc, I need to be alone for a while," he said, regaining enough composure to speak. He wiped his eyes.

"Of course, Mork. Anything you need. I know you won't leave." He tapped on the barrier and laughed.

"Oh, humor—ar-ar," Mork said glumly.

"Sorry. Please excuse me. If you need anything, let me know. I will be back to check on you later."

"Thanks—I think."

Mork waited until the doctor was completely out of the room before he attempted to contact Orson. He fell into a trance as he usually did, but something was wrong. Orson wasn't there. Mork couldn't even communicate. He continued to fall into the blackness of his mind until he seemed to drift away, losing all awareness. His body slumped limply to the floor.

Mork's Abduction

Part Three

"Dad, have you seen Mork?" Mindy asked. She was on the phone in her apartment, pacing, and if the phone cord wasn't tethering her to her kitchen counter, she thought she could almost fly out the window in her anxious state.

"No Mindy, he hasn't been over here. Why would he be?" Fred McConnell asked.

"Oh Dad, it's terrible—Mork has gone missing!"

"Missing?" There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. "What do you mean, missing?"

"He wasn't in his room this morning, and last night Orson contacted me to tell me he couldn't reach him."

"Orson contacted you? I didn't know he could do that."

"Neither did I, so I thought it was a dream at first, but he was right—Mork is gone, and he could be in danger!" She broke down sobbing. "Oh Daddy, we've just got to find him! I don't know what I'd do! He could be injured or dead!"

Fred sighed. "All right honey, just take it easy," he said. "I'm sure we'll find him. I'll start asking everyone in town. I'll put up bulletins at the store. Normally the police don't consider someone missing until a couple of days have passed, but I know a friend in the local sheriff's department who owes me a favor. Maybe he can do something. In the meantime, I know this will be difficult, but you have to try and remain calm."

Mindy wiped her eyes. "I know, Dad," she said. "It's just so hard."

"Look, I know he means a great deal to you—

"You, too."

Fred paused again. "Yes, I admit, I have grown fond of him too," he said. "But don't worry—we'll do all we can to make sure he returns to us safely. We're just going to have to work together and get the entire town involved. With everyone's effort, I'm sure we will have him back soon."

Mindy closed her eyes. It was the same positive, reassuring voice she remembered from childhood after her mother died—a steady, calming voice of reason that provided comfort and solace. She hadn't told her father this before, but she always admired his strength. To her, he seemed like the bravest man she ever met. She was proud to be his daughter.

"I love you, Dad," she said.

"I love you too, sweetheart. Listen, get some rest. It won't benefit either Mork or you if your nerves are frazzled. I'll start the search on my end. When you feel better you can join me, okay?"

"How can I rest when I don't know what's happened to him?"

"I know it will be difficult, but you have to try, at least for a couple of hours so you can approach this with a clear mind. Trust me, it's for the best."

She knew he was right. She couldn't properly function if she was hysterical. How could she be expected to find Mork in such an emotional state? It was one time where the Orkans and their lack of emotions made sense to her. Still, she wasn't about to sit idly by when her friend needed her. She decided she was going to conduct her own search separate from her father, and she was going to start as soon as she hung up the phone. She hated lying to him, but she didn't want to upset him.

"Okay, I will," she said. "Goodbye, Dad."

As soon as she hung up the phone, someone knocked on her door. A rush of adrenaline and excitement pulsed through her.

"Please be Mork," she said, rushing to the door to answer it, nearly tripping over the step that led up to it. Her expression fell when she opened the door and saw the stooping, almost buzzard-like man in robes shuffle into her apartment.

"Exidor, this isn't the best time," she said, groaning in disappointment.

Exidor held his hand up to his ear. "Mork, is that you?" He asked.

"No, it's me, Mindy."

"I knew that! Hello, Perky!" He pushed his invisible throng of gatherers away. "Will you step aside? After all, we can't all fit into this place at once!"

Mindy rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Exidor, I don't have time for this," she said. "Something serious has happened. Mork is missing!"

Exidor's eyes widened. "Missing, you say? Maybe he just went out of town!"

"No he didn't it...it's hard to explain."

She thought about telling him about Orson, about his message. Since this man was clearly insane, she didn't think it would hurt to tell him. In some strange way, he might prove more valuable in her search for Mork than anyone else in town, even her father.

"You see Exidor, Mork is from another planet," she began nervously, hoping she wouldn't regret it. "His superior contacted me last night to tell me that he was in trouble."

Exidor laughed. "You expect me to believe that?" He said. "You're crazy!"

"It's true! Mork is in danger, and you've got to help me find him!"

For a brief moment, Exidor looked as sane as was possible for him. He frowned in consideration.

"Well my dear, if he is an alien, then there is only one place he could have gone—Area 42!"

"Don't you mean Area 51?"

"No, that's too far away. Area 42 is here, in Boulder!"

Mindy began to have doubts about asking for his help. She couldn't believe she was entertaining the idea of taking him seriously. He barely knew where he was half the time.

"Exidor, there is no secret military base like that in Boulder," she said.

"But there is—that's why you don't know about it."

"Then why do you know about it?"

"I am in tune to all cosmic things in the universe," he said, his eyes widening. He made a broad, sweeping gesture with his hands.

"Oh God," Mindy said, burying her face in her hands and rubbing the bridge of her nose. She could feel her headache starting to return.

"That's where they take all the aliens. They experiment with alien technology out there, you know." He nodded with certainty.

"I'm afraid to ask—do you know where this so-called Area 42 is?"

"I do. They thought I was an alien once, you know."

"I can't imagine why."

"They performed all kinds of experiments on me. I won't tell you what they took from me. It's too embarrassing." He lowered his head in shame.

"Well, where is it?"

"I'm not quite sure, but I think it is buried beneath the Flatirons."

Mindy paused. Her dad was right—she did need to rest. Was she really going to follow this lunatic out into the wilderness? She wasn't thinking rationally. Then again, a part of her wondered if she had to think differently if she was going to find Mork. She couldn't believe she was actually going to consider it, but she didn't think she had any alternative. Even if their search turned up nothing, at least she would feel useful, would feel like she was trying everything she could to bring Mork back to her.

"Can you take me there?" She asked.

Even though Exidor insisted that his burrow could get them there, Mindy convinced him that her jeep would be faster.

"Are you sure all of us can cram in there?" He asked, looking at the jeep skeptically.

"Why don't you ask your…uh…group to stay behind?" Mindy asked.

"I can't do that! They follow me everywhere! They're my entourage."

"Well then, tell your entourage that they'll just have to wait and do without you for a few hours."

Exidor nodded. "I see," he said. "Perky, give us a moment."

Mindy sighed and turned away, playing along.

Exidor rounded up his invisible group of followers. "My friends, you will have to make do without me for a while," he said. "I promise you that I shall return." One of them silently protested, and he glared at the hallucination. "How should I know what you should do while I'm gone? Use your imagination!" He turned back to Mindy. "Well, they aren't pleased, but they will stay behind."

"Terrific," Mindy said.

They got in the jeep and drove toward the famous jutting, plate-like formation of red rocks known as the Flatirons. A park was nearby, and since it was Saturday it was filled with hikers. Mindy hoped she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself wandering in the woods aimlessly with a man dressed in prophet robes. She began to question her own sanity at agreeing to follow along with his suggestion, wondering if losing Mork had indeed made her lose her mind. She parked in a heavily wooded area far removed for the main trail to be safe from the eyes of the public.

"All right, show me the way," she said to Exidor, getting out of the jeep.

"Follow me," Exidor said, gesturing grandly, the folds of his robes spreading out like wings.

They walked for hours on a rugged path strewn with sharp rocks and tree trunks, the pines so thick in the area that they had to walk between them. Mindy nearly stumbled several times when her boots made contact with a tree root or stump. They were far from the main trail, and no hikers were nearby. She worried that they might get lost, but she was familiar enough with the area that she knew which direction led back to the main roadway. She had been there several times recently with Mork. Mork. Her sadness returned, along with grim ideas about what might have happened to him. A part of her worried they would find his body.

"How much farther?" She asked, panting. "We've been walking for miles and I'm exhausted." She sat down on a large tree trunk to rest, wiping the sweat off the back of her neck.

Exidor paused. He seemed unusually alert, scanning the woods. "I…I could have sworn it was right here, beneath our feet," he said.

"If it is a secret base, it's not like they'd advertise its location," she said, not believing her words. She sounded as ridiculous as him. "How did you get in the last time?"

"Well, I was so drugged I barely remember."

"I'll bet."

"But, I'm sure there was a secret door somewhere, disguised as a tree or a boulder or something. We just have to look for it." He began pushing against pine trees and large rocks, knocking on them politely with his fist. "Hello? Is anyone in there?"

"Exidor, this could take all day," she groaned.

"Do you want to find Mork, or don't you?" He asked, looking at her angrily.

"Of course I do, but we can't just work off some vague notion." She stood up and looked around, placing her hands on her hips. "Who am I kidding? I was an idiot for coming out here. There is no secret base. I'm just going to have to accept that Mork may be lost forever."

"Oh ye of little faith!" Exidor shouted. "How could you give up so easily?"

"Easily? Exidor, we've been out here for hours. It's getting dark. I'm tired and freezing. We've been looking everywhere. We just have to face it. Mork isn't here. I'm sure we'll find him—at least, I hope we will—but he won't be here." She sighed. "My dad is working with the sheriff's office. I'm sure they'll conduct their own search. In the meantime, I guess I will just have to place my faith in their expertise and abandon my own search. I don't even know where to begin looking, but it isn't here. It was foolish of me to even try. I appreciate your help, but I think we should head back now before it gets too dark."

Exidor stared vacantly. Something else was demanding his attention.

"Exidor, do you hear me?" Mindy asked. "I think we should head back to town."

"What? Raul, Steinmetz—yes, I'll be right there!" He turned and looked wildly at Mindy. "Excuse me, Perky, but I'm being paged!" He darted off into the woods.

"Wait!" Mindy shouted, chasing after him. He may be crazy, but she didn't want him to get lost. He was barely competent enough to properly care for himself. "I'll give you a ride," she said breathlessly after she caught up with him.

He looked at her as if he didn't recognize her. "How do I know I can trust you?" He asked.

"Don't you know me? It's Min—I mean, Perky." She smiled awkwardly.

"Are you going to throw me in a Mexican prison?" He asked. "I didn't smuggle that dope, I swear!"

"No, I'm not going to do anything to you, I promise," Mindy said as sweetly and with as much patience as possible, trying to convince him before they completely lost the daylight. "Now come on, let's go back to the jeep. I'll take you to your friends."

"Are you sure?" Exidor asked. He looked almost frightened, and for a moment Mindy felt compassion for him.

"Yeah," she said, stroking his back to soothe him as if he were a helpless little boy. "It'll be all right."

"Okay," he said, relaxing, lowering his head. "Take me home, strange woman."

Relieved he consented, she began to lead him back to the parking lot where her jeep waited for them. She realized the folly of following him out there in the first place—after all, what did she expect, listening to the ravings of a madman? Still, she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that Mork was out there somewhere and she was willing to try anything, even conduct a fruitless search in the empty woods. Disappointed but not surrendering, she made a promise to herself that she would begin fresh in the morning. She was determined to find Mork, no matter what it took.

What she didn't realize was that Exidor was right. Even though he had never actually been there himself-that part of the story a product of his delusional mind-there was indeed a secret government base buried deep in the mountains beneath their feet, and Mork was being held captive inside, several feet below the surface. Mindy didn't know how close she really had come to finding him.

Mork's Abduction

Part Four

"I don't know what's wrong with him, Dr. Feldman," the lab assistant said. "He seems listless."

Dr. Feldman watched his subject on the closed circuit camera. Mork lay curled on his side, pawing weakly at the barrier that held him.

"How long has he been like this?" He asked.

"Since this morning. He has barely moved all day."

Dr. Feldman nodded gravely. "I need to talk to him," he said.

He exited the room and entered the main laboratory, carefully approaching the closed-off section where Mork was being held. Crouching down so he could meet Mork at eye level, he placed his hand on the barrier and spoke gently to him.

"Hello Mork," he said.

Mork barely acknowledged his presence, staring vacantly into the distance. The dramatic way his appearance had altered was shocking. He had rapidly deteriorated from the vigorous alien that was first brought in to a pitiful, frail shell of himself, his pale, ghastly complexion the color of parchment, his lips unnaturally white. His blue eyes were glazed, empty, and sad, moistened with tears. Dark circles from fatigue formed beneath them. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he shivered uncontrollably, hugging himself for warmth. He looked close to death, and Dr. Feldman was stunned by how quickly his health had declined, causing him great concern. He couldn't afford to lose him, not when he was so close to making the scientific discovery of the century.

"Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?" He asked.

Mork remained unresponsive, staring blankly, unaware of his surroundings.

"Please, tell me what's wrong with you," Dr. Feldman urged. "Tell me what we can do to make you well again. We can't help you unless you tell us how. We don't know enough about you yet to know how to treat you for illness, so you have to instruct us on what to do for you. Please, Mork. If you can hear me, please respond."

Moaning in pain, Mork touched the barrier. "Mindy," he whimpered, his voice hoarse, his breathing ragged and labored.

"Now we talked about that, Mork. Mindy isn't here. She isn't coming. She's the one who gave you to us, remember? You need to forget about her, and focus on regaining your strength."

Releasing an anguished cry so loud that it startled Dr. Feldman, Mork's movements became more frantic. He clawed desperately at the barrier surrounding him, grunting and struggling to free himself. When that didn't work he began banging his head repeatedly against it, eventually striking it with such force that his forehead began to bleed. Horrified, Dr. Feldman got up and pressed the alarm button, signaling all personnel to enter the lab. Within minutes, swarms of technicians in lab coats rushed in to intervene, pausing momentarily and staring in shock at the disturbing scene in front of them. Mork's body convulsed violently in a seizure, contorting into grotesque and unnatural positions, his head lolling back and his eyes rolling up until only the whites could be seen, making him look monstrous and terrifying. Froth formed on his lips and he gagged and choked, struggling to breathe as he rolled uncontrollably on the floor in continuous spasms. From the medical training the doctors had received, they knew not to restrain him for fear that it would only cause further injury to their patient. Even though he was an alien with different biology than theirs, they knew the best protocol to follow in this situation was to wait for it to end before touching him.

After ten minutes, Mork's seizure subsided, his body going limp as he lost consciousness. Dr. Feldman and the others entered the room and carefully lifted him onto a gurney, trying to check what they could of his vital signs. It wasn't an easy task. Unfamiliar as they were with alien biology, all they could do was make their best educated guesses based on their medical expertise, checking for a pulse and searching his body for any fractured bones or other signs of injury. He appeared to be alive, although his breathing was shallow and erratic. They placed an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, hoping it would help. Dr. Feldman gently opened his closed eyelids and shone a penlight into them, looking for a reaction. His irises contracted normally in reaction to the light, much like a human's eyes would. He hoped that it was a positive sign. Still, when his gloved hand touched Mork's forehead, he became alarmed. His skin felt clammy, yet he was so warm to the touch that it almost burned him.

"He has a very high fever," he said. "Give me a thermometer. I need to check his temperature."

One of the technicians handed him a thermometer. After several seconds, Dr. Feldman checked the reading. "One hundred and twenty degrees? That's not possible." He realized that he was looking at an alien being, though, and anything could be possible.

"Doctor, I can't find his pulse," one of the technicians said.

Dr. Feldman looked at Mork's chest. His breathing had stabilized, his chest rising and falling in a natural rhythm. "He appears to be breathing at least," he said. "That's a good sign." He looked at the blood drying from the gash on his forehead and the spittle that formed in the corners of his mouth. The blood was red, like a human's, but it was brighter in color, almost orange. "Take samples of his blood and saliva," he said. "We can begin studying their composition. Perhaps we can find an underlying cause to his condition and help him improve."

The technicians swabbed his mouth and forehead, and as they were in the process of doing this Mork regained consciousness, his head thrashing from side to side. His eyes widened in a panic and he grasped frantically at the mask on his mouth, trying to remove it.

"It's all right, Mork," Dr. Feldman said, gently taking his hands. "You're sick, and we're trying to help you. Do you remember what happened?"

Bewildered, Mork's glassy eyes searched the room, struggling to make sense of his surroundings. "Orson," he mumbled, the mask muffling his words. "Orson, where are you? I need you, please…help me…please…"

His head tossed from side to side again, and his eyes rolled back and fluttered.

"Orson? Who is that?" The lab assistant asked.

"That's his superior," Dr. Feldman said. "He must be delirious." Mork's head jerked and he arched his back, straining, his muscles tightening as he suffered another minor seizure, collapsing back onto the gurney in exhaustion. Dr. Feldman made soothing noises to calm him. He turned to look at his team. "We're going to need to monitor him constantly until his condition improves," he said. "I cannot stress to all of you enough the importance of keeping him alive. In the meantime, begin examining the samples. Let's see what information we can obtain from them. Dismissed."

The technicians began to depart, but Dr. Feldman remained behind, watching his alien patient. Mork seemed to be trying to sleep but was unable to, his dull eyes remaining half open, searching the room, looking lost and confused, no gleam of recognition present in them.

"Are you thirsty, Mork?" He asked. "You need to get enough fluids if you're going to recover." He had his assistant watch him as he went to retrieve a glass of water. He took Mork's hand and put his finger in the glass. "I know how you drink. Come on, just take a little water. It'll make you feel better."

The assistant watched in astonishment as Mork's finger drained some of the water from the glass. It wasn't long before he began coughing, vomiting the water back up along with the meager contents of his stomach. Dr. Feldman held his head and propped him up, wiping his mouth when he was finished and collecting a sample of it as well. He handed the specimen container to his assistant and instructed him to analyze it along with the other samples.

"What are we going to do? He'll become dehydrated," the assistant said, taking the sample and looking at Mork in concern.

"I know. We can't run an IV into him until we know more about his internal structure," Dr. Feldman said. "I guess right now the best we can do is monitor his condition and try to keep him as comfortable as possible."

"And alive."

"Yes, hopefully. I suppose we should have planned better for all contingencies. I thought we were properly prepared for any situation that might arise with an alien being, but it appears we were wrong." He looked sadly at Mork. "I wish he could tell us what to do for him."

"Min…Mindy," Mork croaked. "Mindy…"

"What about Mindy?" The lab assistant asked. "He keeps calling for her. Maybe she knows something about how to help him that we don't. She's been living with him all this time, after all. "

"We can't risk bringing a civilian to this base," Dr. Feldman said. "There is too much highly sensitive and classified information here. Even if we were to obtain from her a guarantee that she wouldn't share this information with the public, how can we be certain that she would uphold her promise? How could we possibly trust her?"

The lab assistant shrugged and looked at Mork. "He did," he said.

"I know, and it was necessary for me to shatter that trust if I was to keep him here. He thinks that Mindy surrendered him to us for study. Even if I could bring her here, her presence might make him worse."

"Mindy," Mork whispered faintly.

"We need to try something. This situation is dire."

Dr. Feldman looked at Mork. A part of him regretted ever capturing him for study, but it was his job. More than that, it had taken him years of diligent research to reach this point in his career, risking his reputation on the preposterous notion that he would one day find a life form from another planet. He wasn't about to let an opportunity this monumental elude him, nor the vindication he would receive after years of being mocked by others in the scientific community.

"Study the lab samples first," he said. "See if we can learn anything from them about how to help him. If we can't reach a satisfactory conclusion from our research, we may contact her, but it will only be if we exhaust all other forms of recourse at our disposal."

"I just hope we have that long," the lab assistant said.

Mork continued to stare, his eyes becoming more lifeless and dull. He was degenerating quickly, his strength waning with each hour that passed. His skin became ghostly white, almost translucent, as if he would soon fade into nothingness.

"Mindy," he said, closing his eyes. A small tear rolled down his cheek as he fought with consciousness. "Mindy, why did you leave me?"

Mork's Abduction

Part Five

Several days had passed. No one in Boulder had seen Mork. Mindy began to grow restless. She tried to keep herself occupied, but waiting for news on Mork had been unbearable. She could do little else but think of him. A knock on her door sounded and she jumped, the possibility that it might be Mork returning to her renewing her hope.

"Mindy McConnell?" The man at the door asked. He was a severe, official looking person, dressed in an immaculate black suit and wearing black sunglasses. He flashed a badge at her so quickly that she didn't get a chance to read his credentials. He had a partner with him, also wearing a black suit and sunglasses, but he remained stoic and silent.

"Yes, that's me," she said. "Who are you?"

"We have some important information to share with you about Mork."

Based on the humorless expressions of these men, she assumed the worst. "What is it? What's happened to him?" She asked.

"I'm afraid we do not have much time. I insist that you come with us at once."

"Where?"

"That's classified, ma'am."

Mindy crossed her arms. "Well, I'm afraid I can't come with you unless you provide me with more details," she said. "How am I supposed to trust that you are who you say you are?"

The man glanced at his partner, who remained expressionless. "I had feared this would not be easy," he said. He grabbed Mindy's arm before she could react to defend herself or even yell in protest and injected her with a hypodermic needle. In seconds, she had lost consciousness, her limp body falling into their arms.

"Let's put her in the van," the man said to his partner. "Careful. Steady her and carry her out carefully so as not to arouse suspicion from the neighbors."

They each draped one of her arms over their shoulders and carefully dragged her down to the ominous black, windowless van that was waiting at the front of the Victorian house. Slowly they lifted her into the back and tied a blindfold around her eyes. Once the van was secure, they prompted the driver to take them to their destination.

The movement of the van woke Mindy from her slumber. At first she felt woozy and disoriented, but gradually her senses returned to her. She remembered the strange men at her door and wondered if it was another dream brought about by her anxious mind. When she opened her eyes and found that she couldn't see anything, she began to panic. She felt something tied tightly around them, so tightly that she could feel the knot at the back pressing into her head. She tried to remove it, but a stern man's voice stopped her.

"I wouldn't remove that if I were you," he said.

She couldn't see him, but she knew it was the same man who had been at her door. She also sensed that he was pointing a weapon at her.

"Look, I don't know who you are, but I'm willing to cooperate," she said, trying to disguise the fear in her voice. "There's no need for all this cloak and dagger stuff."

"I'm afraid there is, Ms. McConnell," the man said. "You see, what you are about to see is classified, top secret. We were reluctant to bring you here, but the situation is urgent. Now, we expect you to cooperate. Once you are inside, you will promise us that you will never tell anyone what you see here. If you do, I don't think I need to tell you the serious consequences that would result."

Mindy swallowed hard. It wasn't difficult for her to imagine what they would do. They could make her disappear.

"I understand," she said.

"Good. Now, you may take off the blindfold."

Mindy felt the van come to a stop and heard the sliding doors opening. She pulled on the blindfold until it was off and around her neck. The men grabbed her and helped her out. All she saw was a standard looking underground garage, nothing spectacular.

"I don't understand," she said. "Where are we?"

"That is on a need to know basis," the man said, escorting her to an elevator.

"Okay, well I need to know."

"You will find out soon enough."

They stepped inside the elevator and it began to lower down deeper beneath the ground. She began to realize that Exidor was right. There was a top secret government base beneath the Flatirons. The elevator stopped, and the men led her out of it into a laboratory. They were moving through the area so quickly that Mindy barely had time to marvel at all of the highly advanced technology she saw. She knew they were rushing her through on purpose so that she would see less of their experiments, but it still fascinated her all the same.

"Oh great, Ms. McConnell," a small, wiry, bald man with glasses said. "Welcome. I am so glad you're here. My name is Dr. Feldman." He smiled and extended his hand and Mindy shook it, looking at him with uncertainty.

"How do you know who I am?" She asked.

"I know everything about you. You see, I have been observing your apartment ever since Mork landed."

Mindy's eyes widened with indignation. "You mean, you've been spying on us?" She asked angrily.

"I had to. It's my job, you see. I specialize in the study of extraterrestrials."

"I don't believe this!"

"Well, I can't say I blame you, but the reason I requested your presence here today is…well…I need your help, you see. With Mork."

Mindy saw the desperation in Dr. Feldman's otherwise calm demeanor. "You have Mork?" She asked.

"Well yes, and he's—

"So you kidnapped him to study him? My God, I've been out of my mind with grief looking for him these past few days, and you—

"Ms. McConnell—

"Mindy!"

"Fine, Mindy. Mindy, I ask that you please calm down an allow me to explain."

Mindy sighed. "All right, fine," she said. "But you'd better have a good explanation. I don't appreciate my friends or myself being dragged out of my apartment in the middle of the night."

"I know, and if there had been a better way to approach this I would have. I'm sorry. But you don't understand. Mork is in grave peril."

"What's the matter with him?"

Dr. Feldman shrugged sadly. "I guess I'd better show you," he said.

He nodded at the men in black that he would take her from there, and they departed. He led her through a maze of corridors until they approached his main laboratory where Mork was being held. They had barely made it a few steps inside when Mindy rushed toward the hospital gurney where Mork laid, his body attached to several leads. She nearly ran into the invisible barrier when Dr. Feldman stopped her.

"What have you done to him?" She asked, appalled, tears forming in her eyes.

She barely recognized him. His skin was ashen, his frame thin. His hair had turned light, almost blond.

"Nothing—I promise you we have taken the best possible care we could of him."

She gestured toward the sickly Mork. "This is what you call taking care of him?" She asked angrily. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she pounded him with her fists.

"Mindy, please!" Dr. Feldman said, grabbing her wrists to restrain her. "He is dying."

Mindy yanked herself away from him in horror, walking up to the barrier and touching it. "Well it's no wonder," she said, trembling. "He wasn't meant to live in captivity. He's not some animal you can experiment on for your own purposes. He's an intelligent being!"

"We know that, Mindy. That's why we wanted to study him. Don't you see what a momentous leap forward in the scientific progress of mankind this would be? I couldn't allow that opportunity to pass me by. My intentions were good, I promise, but something has gone terribly wrong and none of us know how to help him. We thought that you might. Please, Mindy. You're his only hope."

Mindy heard the sincerity in the doctor's voice. She knew he wasn't a complete monster—he was only curious, as any good scientist should be. Unfortunately, that curiosity was killing Mork. She gently stroked the barrier as if she were really touching him, longing to be in the room with him, to comfort him, to let him know she was there.

"I don't know what I can do, now that you've destroyed him," she said, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Talk to him, see if he'll respond to your voice," he said. "He might be more willing to tell you how to help him than any of us."

"What would help him is if you let him go."

"I cannot do that, at least not until he is healthy. He has to get well first. You do understand that, don't you? He could die if we attempt to move him."

Mindy looked at Mork again. He looked so fragile. She knew the doctor was right.

"Let me in there," she said. "I want to talk to him."

Dr. Feldman nodded. "Of course," he said.

He signaled to his men in the control room to open the secret door to the barrier. It opened with a rush of air, and Mindy stepped inside. As she approached Mork, he looked even worse up close, orange veins visible beneath his pale skin, his lips white like chalk. Gently, she took his hand. It was so hot to the touch that she had to let him go. He was burning her hand.

"Mork," she said softly, restraining her tears. "It's Mindy. Please, talk to me."

Mork's eyes opened to slits in response to her voice, scanning his surroundings. Gradually as they opened wider, more recognition returned to them. He was staring at her.

Mindy stroked his blond hair. "Mork, can you hear me?" She asked.

His eyes widened in fear, and then she saw that he was glaring at her, silently accusing her of some terrible crime. He turned his head away from her, refusing to acknowledge her. He had never looked at her with such hatred before. She didn't even know he was capable of it. It was almost as if he might have struck her if he were stronger. As if acting on instinct she flinched, half expecting him to lash out at her.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "Why are you angry with me? Don't you want to talk to me? Please, Mork. Tell me what you're thinking."

His lips moved silently, struggling to form words. "G-go," he said.

"You want me to go? Why?"

"Just…g-go." He hugged himself, curling into a ball, shivering.

"Mork, I'm here to help you. Don't you believe me?"

His lips formed a cruel smirk. "N-no," he said. "G-give…you g-gave…"

"What? What did I do? Please, tell me."

"Left me…you…left me…"

Tears welled up in her eyes again. "I didn't leave you," she said. "How could you say such a thing?"

"You…betrayed me…"

"I would never do that to you!"

"Gave me up…left me here…to die…"

"Mork! How could you think such an awful thing? I wouldn't do that to you, don't you believe me? You should know me enough by now to know that I would never do that."

"I thought…I did…was…wrong…"

"No Mork, I didn't leave you here. Please, trust me when I say this. If I was heartless enough to abandon you, why would I come back? You have to listen to me, please. You don't know what you're saying!"

"Yes…I do…you…don't care…hate me…"

"Hate you? No, how could you think such a thing?"

"L-leave me…alone…"

"No Mork, I won't! I'm going to stay right here with you. You're going to get better."

"W-why do you care? Just go away…let me…die…it's what you wanted, anyway."

Mindy began to realize what was happening. Mork sounded like someone who had been brainwashed. She looked up angrily at the doctor. "You told him I brought him here so that he wouldn't want to leave, didn't you?" She asked.

"You don't understand," Dr. Feldman said. "I couldn't afford to lose him. I've spent years trying to find someone like him. You don't realize the magnitude of this discovery. If he had a motivation to escape—I just couldn't risk it."

"Well, great work," Mindy said with as much sarcasm as possible. "Now he doesn't trust me. Look at him! He won't even look at me! How am I supposed to help him if he thinks I abandoned him to you?"

"I…I don't know what to say," the doctor said, lowering his head in shame.

"Say you're sorry."

"I am, Mindy. Truly. I didn't intend for things to get so out of hand."

Mindy looked at the doctor. She could tell he was sincere and contrite. "I believe you," she said, "but you have to leave me alone for a while with Mork. If I'm going to help him, I have to work on rebuilding the trust you so cruelly stripped away from him."

"Alone? But Ms. McConnell, this is my lab and I can't—

"Do you want him to get well, or do you want his death on your hands?" She asked. Internally, she was surprised at herself. She didn't know she was capable of speaking so harshly. Still, she didn't care. Mork was dying. She had no time to be diplomatic.

"What if he tries to harm you?"

"You mean, because of the lies you told him about me? Don't worry Doctor, I think you've done your job thoroughly. He's quite docile," she said with continued sarcasm.

"All right, if you insist," Dr. Feldman said, lowering his head in defeat. He didn't realize Mindy would be so brazen, but he knew that he couldn't blame her. The shocking condition Mork was in was enough to stir anyone's ire, including his own. He was mad, too. Mad at himself to allowing this to happen. Mad that he didn't know what to do when he was a scientist. He only hoped that Mindy could help where he'd failed. "If you need me, I will be in the control room."

Mindy watched him slink away like the coward she believed him to be in her rage. Then she turned to Mork, who was still curled on his side, his back to her, not allowing her in. He seemed like he was a million miles away, unreachable.

"Please Mork, you've got to believe me," she said. "This wasn't my idea. I would never hurt you. I love you. Don't you understand?"

Mork didn't respond.

"Mork…" Mindy said, tears in her eyes. "Mork, can you hear me? Talk to me!"

For a moment she was worried that all her efforts at communicating with him were too late. She thought he was dead. When she saw him stir slightly, she released a deep sigh in relief, knowing that he was still with her, at least physically. Reaching his mind, however, was going to be a difficult task.

"Go away," he said faintly. "Please…just leave me alone. I don't want to see you, ever again."

He sighed and closed his eyes, drifting into unconsciousness.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Mindy collapsed to the floor, sobbing. She couldn't stand to hear him say those awful, venomous words to her. It felt worse than if he had hit her.

"Oh Mork," she said. "How can I reach you? How can I make you believe me?"

Mork's Abduction

Part Six

Mindy spent several tense hours alone with Mork, trying to communicate with him, but her attempts were unsuccessful. The only comfort she had was knowing that he was still alive, that somewhere deep within himself he knew the truth. She only hoped he would realize it before it was too late. She kept a silent vigil over him, waiting for any change in his position, any signal of recognition, but he remained motionless, his back turned to her. He had built up his defenses, refusing to allow her to enter. Still, she remained patient, knowing that he couldn't ignore her forever. She would wait as long as it took for him to acknowledge her. Although she was strong, she began to grow weary, and soon she fell asleep, sitting on the floor and leaning against the barrier. When she awoke, she found him looking at her.

"Mork?" She asked, standing up and straightening out her clothes, rumpled from sleep. She approached him carefully, not wanting to lose the connection with him that she had fought so hard for over the past few hours.

He still looked dreadful, his complexion sallow, his eyes glassy. Yet there was awareness in his eyes, awareness of her presence. His eyes followed her as she moved around the room.

"You…stayed?" He asked, frowning in puzzlement, his voice raspy. It took him an enormous amount of energy just to speak, gasping for air between each word.

"Well of course I stayed," she said, stroking his hair, which was still ashen blond. "Where else would I go?"

"I thought you…didn't care."

He closed his eyes and struggled to swallow, releasing a rattling breath that alarmed Mindy. His condition was only getting worse. She knew she didn't have much time. She had to somehow help him before she lost him.

"Now why would you think that?"

"L-left me…" his eyes fluttered as he struggled to remain conscious.

"Mork, I don't know how many times I have to say this before you believe me, but I didn't leave you, not to this," she said, gesturing around the laboratory. "They told you that so that you wouldn't try to escape. Do you understand?"

His eyes opened again and he looked at her. "So…not true?" He asked, blinking slowly.

"No, it isn't. Remember, I told you not to be so trusting. Not everyone is going to be honest with you."

Mork's eyes welled up with tears. He looked so vulnerable, like a lost little boy. It broke her heart to see him cry.

"S-sorry," he said.

"Don't be sorry. You didn't know."

He lifted a trembling arm, reaching for her, but he didn't have the strength to sustain it, his arm collapsing back by his side. She noticed how thin he was, how weak. He seemed to be wasting away with every minute that passed.

"H-home?" He asked, smiling faintly through his tears.

"Yes Mork, I'm going to try to convince them to release you and let me take you home, I promise," Mindy said, "but you have to stay with me. Do you hear me? Mork, you have got to stay with me."

"Aaaaaah…" Mork moaned.

His eyes rolled back and his body began to convulse, once again in the grips of a seizure. Mindy watched in horror as his limbs jerked and flailed, every muscle in his body contracting tightly as if he were attached to taut strings pulling him apart.

"We need help in here!" She shouted, banging frantically on the barrier. "Hurry!"

Dr. Feldman and his technicians entered, rushing into the room to try to save him. She watched helplessly as they worked on him, their attempts useless as he continued to thrash around.

"Do something!" Mindy shouted through her tears. "Help him!"

"I'm afraid it isn't that easy," Dr. Feldman said. "You see, we still don't know enough about his biology to understand what would cure him. We have samples of his blood, but after studying it I have to admit that its structure is complex and beyond our current level of understanding."

"But you can't just let him die! There must be something that can be done."

Mork's body grew rigid and still. The other doctors checked him.

"I don't think he's breathing," one of them said.

"Oh God," Mindy gasped. She pushed away the doctors and collapsed by Mork's bed, burying her face in it. "Mork, I don't know what to do. Please, help me. Don't leave me now, please Mork," she said, her voice muffled.

The doctors gave her room, silently watching her. Dr. Feldman was the only one brave enough to approach her, gently putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mindy," he said. "We did all that we could."

She lifted her head and glared at him, her eyes red from crying, making her look fierce and terrifying. He backed up slightly, afraid she would attack him.

"You did this to him!" She shouted. "You let him get sick!"

"There was no way of knowing that this would happen to him."

"I'll bet you're glad," she said. "Now you can dissect him like a science project!" She stood up and slapped him. The other doctors prepared to call security, but Dr. Feldman waved them away.

"I don't blame you for how you feel," he said. "Despite what you think, I am not callous. I cared for Mork, too."

"Liar! You never cared for him. All he was to you was property, something you could use to prove what a great scientist you are. Now look at him! Look at what you've done to him! You've killed him!" She returned to Mork's bedside, collapsing again into sobs, making inarticulate sounds as she wailed.

"It may not be too late," Dr. Feldman said. "There might still be hope."

"I don't see how," Mindy said.

"Well remember, that's why we brought you here. We thought that you might be able to help him."

Mindy shook her head. "I can't," she said. "I don't know anything. What could I possibly know that is anything different from what you've tried?"

"You lived with him. Surely you have more intimate knowledge about him that we do."

"You mean, knowledge you didn't get through spying?"

"Please, Mindy. Try to be helpful. I am asking you to put aside your feelings of hostility toward me and help me find a way to help your friend."

"But I don't know anything, I swear," she said, looking at the Mork.

She had never seen him so unnaturally still, his eyes closed, his complexion waxy. She had only seen one other dead body in her life, and that was her mother's at the funeral, her image still haunting her to the present day and sometimes visiting her in her nightmares. Mork looked about the same. She couldn't bear seeing him that way. It seemed wrong. It seemed as if the entire natural order of things had collapsed into chaos. She refused to accept him that way, refused to accept a life without him. The memory of Orson's dialogue with her returned as she stood there, looking at Mork. She didn't know why, but one part of what he said was gnawing persistently at her thoughts. He had said that he couldn't contact Mork. Ever since Mork had been in captivity, he hadn't been in touch with Orson. Somehow, there seemed to be a connection with Mork's health and his ability to reach his superior, as if the mental link was vital to his survival.

"Orson," she muttered.

"I beg your pardon?" Dr. Feldman said.

"Yes, that's it!"

"What?"

"Every day, Mork establishes a mental connection with his superior on Ork. His name is Orson."

"Right, we knew that from our transcripts."

"Well, what you didn't know is that he has been unable to contact Mork ever since he's been here. Dr. Feldman, I think that being buried this far beneath the earth's surface has prevented Mork from making that connection."

"And you think this has something to do with his condition?"

"It might. I've never seen him this sick before, not since his entire time on earth."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Is there any way we can bring him to the surface?"

"Now Ms. McConnell, if you are asking us to release him—

"Please, just listen to me. I'm not asking you to do anything except help me. Now, we need to get him to a place where he can reach Orson. If he can do that, he might just get stronger."

"You seem to forget," Dr. Feldman said sadly. "He's unresponsive."

Mindy glanced at his body. "I know, but this just might revive him," she said.

"I don't see how that's possible. He's been clinically dead for several minutes."

"What if he isn't dead? What if he's just in a coma? Look, we have to start thinking differently about Mork. All this time, you've been trying to treat his illness as if he's human, but he's not. You've only succeeded in making him worse. You told me your life's work is about studying extraterrestrials, right? Well, if you're going to be serious about it then you have to start with trying a new experiment since your others have failed. You're going to have to trust me and see if my theory about him is correct."

"I suppose you're right," Dr. Feldman said. "I always considered myself passionate about science, but until today I have never seen anyone display as much passion as you, Mindy." He placed his hand on Mork's gurney. "There is a secure area just outside the base. We can take him there."

"Thank you, Doctor," Mindy said, embracing him.

Surrounded by military guard, Mindy and Dr. Feldman rolled Mork's body out into the open air. The day was warm and pleasant, the sun shining brightly in a cloudless sky. It was so bright that Mindy found herself squinting, her eyes accustomed to the dim, unnatural florescent light inside the lab. Mork's body gleamed white in the sun, his orange veins looked even more prominent, and his hair looked bleached. He looked more like a creature from outer space now than he had when he landed, his body oddly glowing, a misty white aura forming around him.

"What do you suggest we do now?" Dr. Feldman asked.

"We wait," Mindy said.

They waited for several minutes. At first it seemed like exposure to fresh air and an open sky would do nothing to open the channels of communication between Mork and Orson. His body remained still. Then, slowly something began to change. The aura that surrounded him lifted like a fog. The roots of his hair began to darken. The pale, waxy sheen on his skin began to melt, revealing a healthy, more natural color. His muscle tone returned, replacing and filling in his emaciated frame. Miraculously, he returned to looking like the Mork that Mindy remembered.

"Impossible," Dr. Feldman said, staring at him in wonderment. "There is simply no way he could recover so quickly."

"He's an alien, Doctor," Mindy said, smiling. "Anything is possible."

As thrilled as she was to see his body return to a natural, healthy state, he still hadn't moved, causing her concern. She approached him to examine him, Dr. Feldman following her.

"Ms. McConnell, be careful," he said.

"Come on, Mork," she said, taking Mork's hand and ignoring the doctor's advice. It was no longer so hot that she couldn't touch him, and she was relieved at least of that fact. She had longed to touch him for so long when he was suffering so that he could feel her, but she had been unable to. "You can pull through this. Please, give me some sign that you can hear me. Please, come back to me."

Mork's chest, stilled for so long, began to move again. He was breathing.

"Respiration has returned to normal," Dr. Feldman said, smiling. "This is astounding!"

Mindy shared his joy, smiling down at Mork but also crying. She gently stroked his cheek.

"Mork, can you hear me?" She asked. "It's me, Mindy. You're all right, now. You're safe."

Slowly Mork revived, stirring and moaning. His eyes, no longer glazed, began to open. Mindy forgot how clear and vivid his eyes were, almost as blue as the sky overhead, containing all mysteries of the universe. They were kind, intelligent eyes, and she was overjoyed to see them again.

"Mindy?" He asked, his voice already sounding stronger. It was a deep, resonate baritone that she remembered, a voice that could always soothe her.

"Mork, you're back!" She said, embracing him.

"Back? Where was I?"

"Don't you remember? You were ill. You almost died."

"Oh, that," he said, shrugging as if it were trivial. "I talked to Orson. He said that I must've been sick because I couldn't contact him."

"'That's what I thought as well," Mindy said, stroking his wavy, dark hair, brushing tendrils of it away from his face. "I'm so glad to have you back. I don't know what I would have done." She collapsed into more sobs, embracing him even tighter.

"Oh, now," Mork said, embracing her back, laughing slightly. He patted her on the back. "Don't you worry. Old Morko wasn't going to go anywhere."

"Except home," Mindy said, releasing him and wiping her eyes.

"Can we, Mind? Can we go home now?" Mork asked, his eyes pleading.

She looked at Dr. Feldman.

"Now Ms. McConnell, we've been through this," he said.

"Do you want him to get sick again?" Mindy asked. "He'll be no use to you in captivity. Why don't you study him the way that I do—in a natural setting where he has the freedom to interact with other humans?"

"She has a point there," Mork said. "She has been doing a better job learning from me that way."

"I guess I've learned something, too," Dr. Feldman said. "I've been watching you two interact, how much you love each other. Even though Mork is an alien, I can't recall a time I've seen anyone act more human."

"Then you'll let him go?" Mindy asked.

Dr. Feldman nodded.

"Yes! Mork, did you hear that? We're going home!"

"I was dead, Mind, but I'm not deaf," he said, smiling.

She laughed and embraced him again.

Mork's Abduction

Part Seven

Although he was healthy again, Mork was still exhausted from his ordeal. Mindy held a welcome home celebration for him, inviting all her friends and her father. When they asked where he'd been, he carefully recited the lie he and Mindy had chosen to tell everyone—that he went for a hike and got lost. Mindy knew she obviously couldn't tell everyone what had really happened. She couldn't even tell her father, even though he knew Mork was an alien. The ominous, implied threat from the men in black that abducted her and took her to the secret base remained in her memory, and she wasn't about to risk exposing herself or Mork to danger again.

When the guests at the party left, Mork fell asleep on Mindy's sofa, sitting upside down as was his custom. Mindy watched him for a while, feeling great sympathy for him. He had put up a good front for the guests, acting like his usual energetic self, but she knew he was still recovering. She smiled at him and draped her afghan over him. He didn't even stir. Quietly, she went to work cleaning up the apartment, putting things away and organizing the place back to the way she had it before the party. When she was finished, she sat beside him, watching him. She never realized how much she took his presence for granted. She vowed never to let anything happen to him again. She would protect him, no matter the cost. After several hours Mork began to awaken, moaning and turning himself upright. He looked bleary-eyed at Mindy, a lazy smile spreading on his lips.

"Where did everybody go?" He asked.

"The party's been over for a long time now," Mindy said, patting him on the thigh.

"Oh, well I hope I wasn't too much of a pooper."

"You did just fine."

"Mindy, I never realized how much I was loved, how much people cared for me."

"Well they do, Mork. You're easy to love."

"Really? Even though I say and do strange things and generally mess up your life?"

Mindy grinned. "Yes, even though you do that," she said.

Mork looked down at the floor. "Mind, I'm sorry that I thought you turned me in," he said.

"That's all right."

"But I shouldn't have believed him. I shouldn't have believed the worst about people, especially you." He took her hand and squeezed it.

"Well Mork, I don't blame you. You're a man from another planet. All of this is still strange and foreign to you, and you were scared. Of course you might think anything could happen to you."

"Then you're not angry with me?" Mork asked, searching her with his blue eyes.

"How could I be angry with you? I love you. We're friends."

Mork smiled. He had such a pleasant, warm smile, and Mindy was glad to see it again.

"It's great to have…friends," he said, looking at her more intently.

"Yes it is," she said.

They were quiet for a moment, looking at each other. Mindy hadn't realized it before, but her affection for him was beginning to grow beyond friendship. She felt something deeper for him, something that she began to notice when she was fighting for his freedom and his life, something that she had been unable to express until now.

"What are you thinking?" Mork asked.

"Nothing," Mindy said. "Just this."

She leaned in and kissed him, passionately. Mork eagerly returned the kiss, and they remained that way for several minutes until they had to release each other for breath. Mork grinned and laughed.

"Whoa, I should go missing more often," he said.

"Don't you dare," Mindy said, grabbing ahold of his hand. "I am never letting you out of my sight again."

"Mork calling Orson, come in, Orson…Mork calling Orson—hey, Blimpie!"

"I hear you, Mork. There's no need for the name-calling."

"Sorry, thunder thighs."

"Just get on with your report, Mork."

"Well Orson, after everything I've been through, I realized how important it was to have friends who care about me."

"Like Mindy?"

"Especially Mindy, but you too, Sir. I never realized how important our conversations were until I couldn't have them with you. It turns out that absence not only makes the heart grow fonder—it can also kill you."

"That is an important lesson to learn, Mork. Even though we do not have emotions on Ork, we still need each other."

"Yes, sir. Loneliness is a terrible disease, its fatality rate higher and crueler than any other sickness I can think of."

"I guess those silly Earthlings will think twice before capturing you again."

"I hope so, Sir. See, most people I've met here have the best of intentions, even when they're wrong. The scientist who held me prisoner only wanted to learn from me. It took Mindy to convince him that the best way to learn something was to set me free, allow me to be who I am."

"You seem awfully forgiving, Mork, even after this man lied to you about Mindy."

"I know, Sir, but that's only because he did the right thing in the end. I learned something else. I learned that Mindy loves me, more than I ever imagined. I can trust her to watch out for me. I will never believe the lies anyone tells me about her again because she proved her devotion to me. She uh…kissed me." He blushed and smiled in his mind, bashfully looking down at the ground.

"Mork! Remember what I told you about emotions! They're dangerous!" Orson yelled, his thundering voice echoing.

"Ah yes, but isn't it true Sir that emotions also saved my life? Think about that one for a while, Hindenburg. This is Mork, signing off. Nanu-nanu."

The End