Kaluki awoke to find herself shut inside a coffin-like green pod lined with a sticky pink substance that reminded her of denture adhesive.
She screamed and punched the lid, taking several cautious breaths when it popped open.
When the bug face popped into view, she screamed again.
"Honey, calm down," said a feminine sounding voice from the creature's mandibles. The thing had pale cream colored skin, a narrow, feminine face, and what appeared to be dreadlocks. It resembled the one that had solicited a lighter from her earlier.
"How can I calm down! I'm stuck in a coffin staring at a bug face!"
The creature's head drew back, its features contracting. "Now that was just plain rude!" It sighed. "But I'm willing to excuse your lack of manners just this once because you're one of those earth people and don't know any better."
Seeming to notice the girl hyperventilating, she added, "You can get out of there if you want. I won't hurt you."
Kaluki pushed the lid open wider, staring at her surroundings.
The I.T. guy was nowhere to be found.
Her pod coffin sat in a small round room lined with honeycomb shaped coffering. It seemed these things used the pods like sofas, because the smoker sat in one across from her, crossing his bug legs and closing his nictating eyes as he took a drag of...whatever it was, blowing out pink smoke.
They had sort of a low coffee table shaped like a toadstool and a pair of tall lamps that looked like the tops of spaceships in the movie War of the Worlds.
Her host wore a plethora of gold necklaces of interconnected cubes and square plates. She had on a black silk blouse with princess sleeves, and sort of a loincloth to cover the front portion of her six legged lower body. "Would you like a Pepsi?" she said. "Perhaps some Sprite or lemonade?"
"W-where am I?" Kaluki stammered. "Who are you?"
"You're in Hotel Block 82. My name is Otvaqna. The Saamit that gave you such a start is named Votrug."
The smoker leaned forward in his pod, making an odd purring noise.
Kaluki jumped out of her pod, discovering she was both barefoot and standing in something that felt like cold chicken grease. She looked down and found herself dressed in a kimono. "What!" she fumbled for the words. "You took my clothes off!"
"We only wanted to make you comfortable," said Otvaqna. "We researched what your people wear at home, and came to the conclusion that this outfit provides the ideal balance of warmth, softness and modesty."
She grimaced. "How long as I out?"
"Oh? An hour."
"You're kidding!" Feeling an itch, she reached for her scalp and found someone had braided her hair up like Princess Leia. "My hair!"
The creature seemed to blush, blue and pink patches spreading across the sides of its face. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. Human hair is so fun to play with, and yours is so pretty."
She rolled her eyes. "Where's the I.T. guy?"
The creatures stared at each other for a moment.
"Your friend took the TARDIS and went to fight the Cybermen," said Smoky. "He said it's not safe, so he's left you in our care, for your own protection."
"He's at the arcade," Otvaqna sighed. "Would you like something to eat?"