As part of her daily duties, Riswin reported for duty as docking bay security where all new arrivals to the IP headquarters entered the massive spacecraft. Her rotation, and the rotation of other volunteers to the force, was short compared to shifts of the dedicated security forces at the IP that answered to First Commander Pen Nuren. Riswin manned a computer and logged the call numbers of each vessel that arrived, and she demanded the manifest of the craft so the IP was aware of everyone inside of the headquarters at all times.
Arriving crafts land in a section of the IP headquarters’ ship that is exposed to open space and houses up to fifty large crew ships, and hundreds of smaller ships, while the various spacecraft dock, allowing the passengers to enter the larger headquarters where they are greeted by security at their posts. Riswin stood at a tall desk with touch-screen computers on her side.
During a recent security detail, she met a regal woman from the planet Oin. She was with a man that she presumed was Hafjeris because of the feathers on his face that she could see through the helmet of his suit. They both wore standard IP issue spacesuits, but the woman’s helmet was down and she wore a simple crown on her head that was a band of gold that accentuated her bulbous forehead.
“What brings you to the IP headquarters?” Riswin asked, trying not to stare at the Hafjeris man whose helmet looked uncomfortably full of feathers.
“We need to speak with Representative Prab if that is possible,” the Queen Ravileth said and she introduced herself. “I am a monarch of Oin and volunteer with the Independent Militia of Oin. “
“Then we are compatriots,” Riswin said with a smile. “The Independent Militia of Oin is under the umbrella of Representative Nuren’s IP Law Enforcement, of which I am a volunteer.”
“It is nice to meet a fellow sister dedicated to the righteous goals of the IP,” the Queen Ravileth said.
After Riswin entered information about the new arrivals, the monitor alerted her that the Queen Ravileth was a person of interest that should be remanded for questioning by Representative Nuren if apprehended.
“I’ll take you to the waiting area while Representative Prab is notified,” Riswin said smiling. “We can exchange stories.”
“That is very kind of you,” the Queen Ravileth said, and she followed Riswin from the docking bay, and the man with the feathers was not far behind.
Riswin took them to a comfortable waiting room and the man with the feathers finally dropped his helmet. She stared at him curiously and then excused herself. She waited a few minutes outside the door before Representative Nuren arrived.
“Has Representative Prab been notified of the Queen’s arrival?” Representative Nuren asked.
“No,” Riswin said. “Her companion, he presented as Jahl Ralris of Hafjeran, but that is not a family name on the planet. I am sure that he is an Earthling in disguise.”
“What makes you think so?” Nuren asks.
“The computer indicated that his translator is set to translate incoming languages to English, which is a language of Earth. Also, when he dropped his helmet, there was a distinct Earthling smell in the room.”
Nuren smiled at Riswin.
“Very astute observations. I see you’ve done your homework on Earthlings.”
Riswin smiled nervously. Her intimate encounter with the Earthling Representative Osmium on Wiis had given her very unique insight into Earthlings. She wasn’t sure how Representative Nuren would react to the knowledge of her past with Osmium, but she didn’t want to risk losing the position she had worked hard for and she kept the rendezvous a secret.
“They are a relatively new phenomenon of the known universe,” Riswin said to encourage Nuren’s explanation for her knowledge of Earthlings. “I guess that intrigues me “
“I’ll let you in on a secret about Earth,” Nuren said. “They have mingled with Representative cultures for much longer than we realize.”
“So why have they only recently been included here?” Riswin asked.
“Because they have only recently proven themselves valuable. Get back to your detail, and see that the Queen’s ship is erased from the computers. Set it adrift.”
Riswin left as Nuren entered the room and she wondered what would happen to them.
PRL Serials 