The approach to the space station that housed the renowned Survey & Research Center was a sight worthy of any pilot, however experienced. The station basked in the light of the Rosette Nebula—also known on Earth as Caldwell 49—a deep-space birthplace of stars and new solar systems. The Rosette put on a spectacular show, throwing off radiation that made the atmosphere dome of the station glow pink and blue.
To some, the station resembled a giant snow globe floating through deep space. On its dark underside were propulsion systems, various storage units, and communications hardware. Above that stood an enormous dome, and within lay an entire city complete with skyscrapers that reached out toward the Rosette Nebula like fingers reaching out to the stars.
Octi was at the helm of the Forty-Five. Lissa stood beside his tank, admiring his deft handling as he tacked back and forth across the solar winds coming off the Rosette and smoothly battled the astral waves of space dust and star matter. Ash and Shiro stood on the foredeck and watched as they soared toward the station. Once they were in range of radio communications, Octi hailed them.
“Diplomatic courier ship Forty-Five requesting docking procedures,” he said.
“Forty-Five, I see you,” the alien’s voice came through the translator bot. “This is Survey & Research Station 42, what is your business here?”
“I’m carrying Ms. Melissa Phelps, Ambassador of Planet Earth, Sol system, this galaxy. She has business with a UC representative aboard station.”
There was silence, and then, “Permission to dock at Airlock 9. Gravitational and atmospheric data streaming to you now.”
The tightness in Lissa’s shoulders eased as, indeed, data began to scroll across the Tri-D screen next to the helm.
“Thank you,” Octi acknowledged and signed off.
The space station was two-thirds the gravity of Earth, but nearly identical atmospherically. There was no need to wear a breathing mask then, Lissa saw with relief, although of course Octi would need his wetsuit.
Ash and Shiro, acting as crew, scaled ratlines to secure the sunsails as soot-bots stoked the boilers below. Octi used their steam-powered thrusters to maneuver into position next to Airlock 9. To Lissa’s surprise, this side of the station showed an ocean bay, with the water lapping up against the atmosphere dome. As they cycled through the airlock, gravity manipulators stabilized the Forty-Five as briny water rushed in until they were bobbing gently on the water, her hull completely submerged.
“Looks like they’ve got some Europans aboard!” Octi declared. “I might jump ship for a bit and take a swim around the bay, if that’s alright, Captain.”
“Once we’ve met Semo, you should definitely go visit, Octi,” Lissa urged. “I bet you could use a good swim!” She looked at him through the wall of his small aquarium, marveling that he had not once complained about the tight quarters. Krywith had helped him rig it next to the helm so he could navigate more comfortably than in his wetsuit, but being stuck in an oversized fishbowl could not be appealing to him.
“I most certainly could,” he agreed.
They floated nearly a kilometer to a dock jutting out from the shore. A lone figure stood at the end to greet them. As they sailed closer, Lissa saw it was a human!
The teenaged boy was lanky, about 160-cm tall, with an unruly mop of black hair and an open, friendly expression that made Lissa instantly like him.
Under Octi’s guidance, Ash and Shiro finished hauling in the sails, and, as they kissed the dock, Ash threw the boy a line, which he caught with ease before tying them off with a smooth efficiency.
As they disembarked, they got a closer look at the young port official: his uniform was a gray one-piece jumpsuit, tailored nicely with an insignia pin at his collar and a nametag on his left breast in some alien script. Octi, who was once again curled about Lissa’s shoulders, told her quietly that it said he was Cadet Jones, a dock messenger.
The cadet extended an open hand in the universal symbol of peace, and said, “Welcome to Space Station 42, Ambassador. I’m Shane Jones, messenger-on-watch today.”
His dark eyes were frank and admiring as he grinned at them all, eliciting a grin from Lissa in response.
“I’m surprised to see a human out this far,” Lissa told him, clasping his hand. “And one who speaks English no less.” His hand was dry and warm in her grasp. As he shook her hand she felt the rasp of calluses on his palm. This was a boy used to hard work, she realized. She caught herself blushing at the touch of his hand in hers.
“Second generation in space,” Shane told her and released her hand, to her relief.
She clenched it for a second to rid herself of the sensation of his touch and sternly put her attention on his words.
“My parents were freed by Space Patrol after an illegal slavering was busted. Dad came aboard as a solar engineer. He’s retired now. My sister and I were born in space.”
Not Earthlings, then, but descendants. Lissa wondered briefly just how many humans there really were in the galaxy.
“Have you ever been to Earth?” Ash wanted to know.
Shane shrugged. “Never been off this station—not yet anyway. That’s why I entered the service. I’m gonna be a space pilot someday and see the universe.” His eyes were big with the dream.
“Space Patrol?” Shiro asked him.
“Nah, too stuffy! I might go privateer though, or maybe a star racer.”
“Star racer?” Lissa asked.
“It’s a popular sport—very dangerous,” Octi told them all.
“This is my navigator,” Lissa told Shane belatedly, realizing introductions were still in order, “Octavian Stubergott III of Europa moon, and my bodyguards are Ash of the Mursi and Shiro of the Kazakhs on Earth.”
Shane nodded to them all. “We have a colony of Europans in the bay, Mr. Stubergott. You’re welcome to hunt if you want; just contact Su-Tsi below Dock 6. She’ll register you. And be sure to log your catch each time so we can watch population figures.”
“Thanks!” Octi enthused.
“Well,” Shane raised his hands, palms up, “to official business. This is Dock 9. Your fees have been waived by Port Authority on request of the 3rd Patrolship, who notified us of your impending arrival.” His voice had shifted subtly, reciting a message he had learned by heart. “While you’re here, you and your crew have diplomatic immunity, Ambassador.” He nodded respectfully in her direction. “You are officially protected, which means that should any incident occur involving station citizens, you can log a complaint with Station Authority directly.”
Octi bobbed his head to show he knew how.
“A transport has been assigned for your use, and refueling and maintenance are on us.” Shane smiled. “So, where do you want to go?”
In the end, Shane ended up taking them on a walking tour of the space city that held Survey & Research Center 42. Although mainly focused on the nebula and analyzing its emissions and the formation of stars within it, he told them, the Research Department also turned out various weapons systems and armor modules to keep their accounts in the black.
“Warfare in space is eternal, after all, and no matter how pure a scientist may keep his favorite theorems, it’s not his formulas that put food on the table,” Shane said.
“It’s the same way on Earth,” Lissa said. “People thought that creating OneWorld would solve the endless conflict, but no. The governors just rewrote their budgets so ‘military expenses’ became ‘local law enforcement’ and war became ‘civil unrest.’ Then they went right back to fighting the same old wars fought for centuries. Let’s face it, how can you end war when all you have to do to earn a quick buck is sell armaments to both sides of a conflict and then stir the pot a bit?”
Shane looked sideways at her. “You’re not what I expected,” he said quietly.
Lissa glanced at Ash and Shiro, walking ahead and behind them for added security, before replying with a blush, “How so?”
“I thought an ambassador would be more …” Shane trailed off.
“Stiff?”
“Stuffy,” he blurted, and then laughed when she made a face.
“I haven’t had a chance to be much of an ambassador yet. I’ve mostly been fighting off pirates, outwitting kidnappers, and trying to outrun assassins. Once I manage to actually meet with another government official and do some negotiating, then we’ll see if I come out stuffy and stiff.”
He cracked a grin. “Yeah, I guess I’ll just have to withhold my judgment until then.”
“Let me know if you see any signs of it,” Lissa added, pretending to be worried. “I don’t want it to sneak up on me without my noticing.”
“Don’t worry,” Shane assured her. He gave her a friendly slug in the shoulder. “I’ll keep an eye on you.”
“Thanks,” Lissa joked. She rubbed her shoulder.
“We’re nearly back to where we started,” Octi announced from ahead of them, slung across Shiro’s broad shoulders like an odd blue shawl.
“That’s pretty much the tour,” Shane announced. Lissa covered her disappointment. “I suppose you’ll want to get settled before you see Commander Semo?” He directed this to Ash, who had told him they would be sleeping on the Forty-Five for the duration of their stay on-station.
“Give us an hour and then we’ll meet you here on the dock?” Ash asked him, after a glance at Lissa for her assent.
“I’ll be here after the dinner hour,” Shane agreed. “It’s just about that time now.” He checked his timepiece. “Is the commander expecting you?”
The three Earthlings exchanged glances. “I think so,” Lissa answered for them.
He looked from one to the other. “What are you here to see her about, anyway?”
Lissa hesitated, and then said casually, “We want to set up a Universe Co. station on Earth’s moon.” It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him with the rest of it, but the last couple weeks had taught her to be cautious.
“Well, that seems like a sound idea. A good way to get started on interplanetary relations. A base like that would attract folks from all over. UC are really well-liked, I can tell you! But why come so far?” He looked at her curiously. “Surely a message could have called a UC rep to you?”
“We wanted to see space,” Ash stepped in. “See how UC treats the rest of the galaxy before we decide to invite them to roost on our front door.”
Shane laughed at that description. “A point,” he conceded. “Well, I’m off. Having dinner with the family tonight. Catch you in an hour?” he asked Lissa.
She nodded and the five of them parted ways, Shane toward home and Lissa and her crew returning to the ship.