The stage lights were switched off. The music arena descended into pitch dark. Above, stars twinkled absently. Out of the audience, lights flashed from phone screens. A base line thumped out a four-four beat, repetitive and brutal. The noise of a hundred shouted conversations filled the space between, as an incomprehensible buzz. Suddenly an avalanche of color erupted up front. On the stage, lasers streaked through the damp air and strobes flickered with skittish energy. The spectators clapped and cheered in expectation of a great show.

In a low humming sound, an elongated form appeared above the crowd. It hovered slowly as if to take a precise count of all who were present. The form glided through the air, reached the front of the arena, and then squatted directly above the stage. The audience watched in awe and amazement—this was new.

Bright lights flickered from under the belly of the spaceship like form. They seemed to move in a circle, teetering at the edge of the craft. With each pass, the lights cycled through an entire rainbow of colors, moving faster and faster. After a few seconds, the light show stopped abruptly. A thin, sharp bluish cone of light ejected from the center of the spaceship and thrusted the stage below. The sudden eruption of light burned retinas, and front row onlookers jolted back in their seats. A figure descended through the cone of light and like a feather, landed softly on the stage.

The mob roared with delight— “This is fucking awesome!” a voice spiked from a corner.

The landed figure was tall, almost skeletal in the pale light. Large, dark eyes void of emotion stared at the audience without really seeing it. The disheveled hair fitted the cliché look of the hard rocker. An electric guitar was flung on his back. It glowed as if magic flowed from within.

The lights from the underbelly hunted each other again in a circle of madness. The guitar player raised a hand and pointed to the sky. Frozen into a trance, the crowd followed the direction but saw only the dark sky. Suddenly, the guitar player grazed the chords with a dramatic move. An unearthly cry burst out of the instrument, tearing through ear drums. The audience erupted with yells of joy and applause. The lonely musician stroked the chords again and again, and each time new and higher octaves knifed through the air and spilled out of speakers planted around the packed arena. With each struck of a chord, a new figure descended through the light and quickly took its place in the lineup. The guitar ended its wailing leaving room for the booming roar of the audience pushed to extasy.

Then, silence hung in the air and the crowd’s noise fizzled down to a hum. Suddenly a thundering drum blasted the audience and each beat thumped deep into their chest.

Nobody knew who the band was, but the decibels hurled at them were convincing enough to think the money spent was a wise decision. Not knowing made no difference.

Through a cavalcade of chopping chords, modulating melodies, and deafening drums, the voice of the singer soothed the spectators. It violated their ears and invaded their brains. It owned them. The voice was angelic. It sounded divine. It was sublime. It could have not been from this world.

The words were simple, and their meaning was clearly understood to the very last row.

“Humans bow before us.

We are your masters.

We own your minds.

Bow before the universe creators.”

Several groupies took the lyrics literally and threw themselves to the ground weeping. They kissed the ground and kept their faces buried in the grass. The figures on stage seemed to enjoy the commotion and increased the rhythm of their celestial sounds. Others in the audience fell on their knees. Some fainted. The more courageous climbed the stage. There, drenched in the hypnotic music, they made their way to the middle. They raised hands toward the sky in an act of sublime submission.

Above, the hovering craft opened and belched a thick fog quickly engulfing the dare devils on the stage. It was ahigh like they have never had before. The psychedelic mix of color, sound, smell and imagery made them feel like gods. They slowly approached the light still thrusted upon the stage and one by one they were sucked up into the belly of the ship.

Within seconds, the fog dissipated, and the members of the band returned the same way up as they came down. Once inside, the noise stopped, and the lights were switched off again.

Just as it came, the long, elongated form hummed full of electrical charge. Suddenly, it tipped on one side and then accelerated with hair-raised speeds leaving behind a faint smell of burnt rubber and a prostrated audience. The newly embarked passengers felt numb. Within seconds, the spaceship passed the moon and soon sling shot Pluto. Time compressed instantly.

Inside the flying object, five mopped-haired creatures turned dials and pushed buttons on screens. With small laser like lights they poked and probed the human cargo. The batch of earth links were set for a 13 billion light years journey to the other side of the galaxy. One that humans called Abel 2218.