Proteus, a cultural missionary from across the galaxy, is a central character in Oberlin’s Anomaly. He loves to employ human sayings he’s gathered over the millennia. Like Mrs. Malaprop, however, he often gets them slightly wrong.

“…we will oppose them until the cows come back to Capistrano,” Proteus said.

“That’s swallows, Proteus, but never mind that now…,” Sheila said.