by Ava Ryant
During the invasion Alexa had taken over command in New York City. During the end of the battle, when the Kraith were desperate, they had tried to escape in one of their undamaged ships. She had used her Tk and yanked the ship trying to leave out of the air, crashing it into the harbor in a fearsome display of Power. It had nearly killed her. She had blacked out immediately afterwards and been in a three day coma. People still talked about it. New York was one of the few cities that had remained mostly intact, due to the number of powerful Praesidio who had changed. It was now the Capital of the ROE.
Alexa sat at her desk and pulled out her data pad to access the secured Praesidio network, A backlog of reports were in her inbox. She opened up the most recent and winced - yay for her - reports from the Techno division were always fun to read. Not. They tended to get very technical and she struggled to understand the engineering, mathematical and mechanical terms they went on and on about. She had asked, several times, for Lieutenant Garret, Head Techno to please put it in layman's terms. Reading a few incomprehensible lines had her banging her head against the pad in frustration. She was getting a headache already from the gibberish written. Alexa tapped her silver comm bracelet, putting a call through.
“Garret!” She barked out when he answered.
“What’s up Lex?” He asked hesitantly. His obtuseness giving way before her ire.
“What does the “coefficients at cosigned levels altered the phsyer pattern output” mean exactly?” She asked, flabbergasted.
“Uhm...well It means that we..uhm realigned the defensive weapon system to put out a more intense laser beam.”
“Why didn’t you just write that?”
“I did.” He said perplexed and she sighed. The man was a genius, well all the Techno’s were. Their abilities all relating to Technology in some way; Techno was a catchall for anything to do with machinery, computers, mechanics and so forth, but no matter their specialty they had one thing in common. They were completely oblivious.
“Garrett, I’m not a Techno. Please remember when you are sending me reports.”
“You got it, boss. I gotta go, Williams set fire to his station again.” He said and cut out quickly. She rolled her eyes. Someone was always setting things on fire, or making things explode or trying to figure out if the Matrix movie could be made real in the Techno Division. It was a mad house down there. Fun to visit but she was damn glad she was no Techno. She sighed again and attempted to read some more.
A tinkling sound alerted her to someone at her door. She looked up to see the door lit up in a life-size vis screen, showing her sister standing outside.
“Enter.” She called and the screen turned white as the door slid soundlessly open.
“You gave them fourteen revs alone together!” Anabel jumped in gleefully, rubbing her hands together.
“I’m going to win the pot! My guess is next week. The closest date wins! They’ll definitely hook up out there in old outpost 12!” Alexa laughed, shaking her head.
“How much is in the pot?” She asked, curious. Alexa had not allowed herself to bet. She was the Chancellor after all. She was supposed to be above such things.
“Fifteen hundred creds! I’m going to blow it on a huge order of chocolate in the next shipment from Earth.”
“We make chocolate here too.” Alexa pointed out and Anabel scowled at her.
“It’s fake chocolate! I don’t care what the Growers say, it does not taste the same! Besides I want the good stuff, from that little shop in Switzerland. You remember the one we went to last trip Earthside.”
“Oh god, that was divine, wasn’t it.” Alexa moaned at the memory. Anabel and Alexa rotated to Earth once a year for “vacation” time, they made an effort to visit new places, never choosing to go back to the small town where they grew up. Or what remained of it anyway. It brought up too many bad memories. Earth now had only three large cities; New York, Sydney and Johannesburg. Many people were too terrified to live in such populated spaces. Instead smaller communities and towns in the wilds were the norm. Living within natural environments for protection and camouflage was the way of life.
“Don’t worry, I’ll share.” Anabel plopped down on the couch, putting her feet up on the coffee table in a relaxed pose.
“I am busy you know. Is that all you came in here for?” Alexa asked dryly.
“No actually, I came in because I wanted to let you know about the vibe I’m getting from the Colony.”
“What vibe?” Alexa asked sitting up concerned and alert. As an Empath, Anabel could sense trouble brewing from a mile away.
“Everyone is a bit...tense about the Ambassadors coming next month. Especially the Shifters, there is a definite uptick in usage of the arena.”
Alexa sat back in her chair in thought. Shifters were by far the most aggressive and finicky of the Praesidio. They manifested in the invasion with a dual nature, a beast and human acting as one. They were wild and combative, but fiercely loyal and protective. If the Shifters were tense about the upcoming visit of Aliens to the Colony it was only a matter of time before spontaneous shifts happened. The beast-side would rise to protect the human-side whether the human wanted it or not. The trick was to keep the human-side from being too tense or fearful. The only other way to stop a spontaneous shift was by exerting superior dominance. She really didn’t want that. It had happened only once - to her - when she first was appointed Chancellor. Shifters needed a chain of command, the “Alpha” was in charge. So of course upon being appointed Chancellor she was immediately challenged for her position.
The Praesidio had very specific rules about challenges and Alexa and the Shifter had gone to the arena, almost every member of the Praesidio in the Colony had come to watch. Civilians were strictly prohibited. The Shifter had taken his animal form, a massive ten-foot beast most resembling a saber-tooth tiger, only more vicious, if that was possible. He had immediately lunged for her, Alexa had remained still and calm - catching him in midair - halting his momentum with ease. She then proceeded to bounce him from ceiling to floor until his beast had become dizzy and nauseous, vomiting all over himself. The smell had been atrocious. Alexa had gently laid him down on the arena floor and he had shifted back immediately. She had proven superior dominance and won the challenge. She and Tomas had ended up friends after that. No hard feelings, she was deemed worthy of being the “Alpha” of the Colony. She really didn’t want to have to repeat that, especially out of the arena where spontaneous shifts would most likely happen.
“Any suggestions?” She asked Anabel.
“I think we should use one of the Techno’s holo-emitters to bring forth a real “Alien”, we know who’s coming. We can use their specs. Maybe have them “walk around” the common areas. If any of the Shifters turn beast, we know that they will need to be confined to the restricted areas until our visitors leave.”
“Good idea. Work with Garrett. Once it’s done let me know. I want to be present in case anything goes wrong. The civilians are not used to seeing spontaneous shifts in the common areas and I don’t want any accidents.”
“Will do, sis. Probably only take a rev or so to get done.”
Chapter 2
Ambassador Lyric stood calmly and serene, staring at the intricate water fountain in the eatery courtyard, his purple and creamy-silver visage reflecting in the water. A hulking black monster - most resembling a bear - with six-inch claws and vicious ten-inch fangs roared and charged, crashing through the holo into the fountain with a loud splash. Alexa sighed and grabbed hold with her Tk before he could turn and try again. It was Owen. He was usually so calm too, a rarity among Shifters. One of the sweetest, shyest males she knew. This was the tenth Shifter to try and attack their “Alien”. It was a disaster. She exchanged looks with Anabel and Garrett. Anabel turned to her datapad and marked Owen in red.
In the end, only three Shifters had managed to keep their calm, if you could call it that, when faced with the Ambassador. Amélie, a small fox-like Shifter built
for stealth, had stared at the Ambassador before turning and running away. She had sounded the alarm for an invasion on her comm unit, trying to get to a weapons locker. Not good. Rahl, a huge black panther-esce Shifter, had taken one look and hissed angrily, swiping out with half-formed claws. He had mostly maintained his human form but for the next twenty minutes could only speak in hisses and roars. And finally Trick, a giant Cobra-snake Shifter; he had spat venom at the holo that had caused the holo-emitter to melt. So overall, a big fat fail. All Shifters had been marked in red on Anabel's pad.
“I need to send an urgent report to Earth. The Prime Commander and the Cabinet need to know about this.” Alexa sighed.
“I’ll forward my impressions too. It’s possible that some might be able to relax as visitors become more common. Some only reacted because of surprise. This is the first time since the Kraith that they’ve seen an Alien so...they might relax. Later. Maybe.” Anabel said, doubt rampant in her voice as she looked at her pad and Alexa glared at her. It was days like this that made her regret accepting the Chancellor position.
Alexa finished her report and sent it through the secure link to Earth. Without the Shifters available during the upcoming visit, she would need to transfer security crews for cover. The Techno’s would need to put in specials alerts and upgrade the force field systems in the restricted zones. The Ambassadors group would not be allowed past the common zones but better safe than sorry. She worked for several more hours before exhaustion set in. Leaving her office and the empty admin building with a sense of disappointment in herself. This was her colony and she was responsible for everyone in it. This first visit from the Coalition needed to go well, but she couldn’t help feeling like she had failed the Shifters. Why had no one come to tell her they were so anxious? She would have done everything in her power to reassure them. Was she missing anything else?
It was a short walk to the housing district. This was a level two restricted area, only residents of the Colony were allowed here. Apartment buildings surrounded a massive central park on three sides. The park had a children's zone, botanical gardens, vegetable and herb plots, open areas for games and picnics and a large forested area for the Shifters to roam in; all under a huge impenetrable crystalline dome that allowed residents to view the sky and let in natural light. It was a brilliant fusion of nature and technology. Except for the gravity adjusters, that increased the colony’s gravity to match Earths, this space was the finest feat in the whole compound.
The north side of the complex was currently where everyone lodged. There were single apartments and couple apartments. The spacing restraints was strict and fixed for both types of lodging, however each person could personalize their own space. The Techno’s had created a design program that allowed individuals to spec out their home however they wanted. It didn’t matter if you wanted country chic or ultra-modern or anything in between, the space was yours to do with it what you will. The construction drones would then assemble the configuration to match perfectly. It was always shocking to go from one home to the next. For instance, her sister had decided she wanted a two-level bedroom loft with open stairs and only white decor. Her home had no color but white; bright snow white, soft ivories, antique creams and every other shade of white imaginable. Alexa was terrified of spilling anything when she visited.
As Chancellor, her apartment was the exception to the rule. Her space was almost twice the size of a couple’s quarters. She had the added addition of a home office and security center that allowed her access to the entire compound, as well as a guest suite. Her main space was open concept with a large island bar with stools that separated the kitchen from the living room. She decorated in shades of cream, soft greys and blues with pops of bright color in her artwork and furnishings. Stylish contemporary chandeliers dangled from the high ceilings and a huge sectional sofa with a chaise lounge sat diagonal in the room. From there you could take in the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the botanical gardens and also see the entertainment center on the right side wall.
Alexa kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her jacket. She still had a lot of work to do and wanted to be comfortable. She went to her bedroom and changed into loungewear before going to her kitchen and pulling out a quick meal and popping it into the micro for five minutes. Whilst eating she read more reports, sent orders, assignments, changes and updates to the various departments, her Lieutenants and Council members as well as to Earth as the night grew late. She finally went to bed hours later as she cleared her inbox, knowing more would be filling it tomorrow.
The next morning Alexa pulled on a green pair of gardening overalls. She would spend the morning in Greenhouse V, it grew the various fruit trees and new hybrids the Growers attempted to create. It had been a while since she took a shift with the Growers and Alexa wanted to see what new things they were up to. Besides, sometimes she just liked to get her hands in the dirt. Tilling the soil, planting seedlings...helped relax her. Made her think of better times and bittersweet memories of gardening with her mom.
“Lexa! You look ready to work. Good.” said Ollen, the head Grower. He was a stocky man with a white beard and good-humored temperament.
“I’ve got the bots working on picking up the daily haul but you know how we like to be hands on with the planting.”
“How are things? Any problems?”
“The usual. Techno’s always trying to get us to be more mechanical. Think their gizmo’s can do anything.” He sighed and shook his head. Growers and Techno’s didn’t see eye to eye. Philosophical differences.
Ollen took her through the bustling greenhouse, telling her about improvements and the goings on. He was a bit of an old gossip. They went to a section being newly planted and Ollen put her to work on the large square planters with some of his workers. She chatted with them as they directed her around. She spent the morning with her hands put to use and laughing as they enthralled her with the latest antics they got up to.
Growers transformed in the invasion with an agricultural ability. They could bend plant-life to their will. It might not seem like a very aggressive gift but when a giant tree branch suddenly swung down and smashes into you like it had moving arms or vines wrapped around you, and dragged you under the soil...well you quickly understood different. Here at the colony they were responsible for the Farming and Horticultural Division, growing most of the food and developing hybrid adaptations on Earth crops.
“So Lisette finally has enough of Amin telling her that his asinine bots can “fix” her personal garden. “Tidy it up”, he says. He’s got no clue Lisette spent months planning her whole beauty in chaos garden theme. Anyway she finally snaps and starts chucking tomatoes from the daily haul she was inspecting at him. Really pelting him too, all the while screaming that Techno’s are all idiots. It was freaking hilarious.” They all chuckled as Ollen regaled them with the latest on-dit.
“The thing is Amin has no clue what he did wrong. He’s totally gone for Lisette but now she growls at him whenever he comes by.” Ollen shook his head in amusement as he spoke.
Alexa bit her tongue, trying not to laugh. A Techno and a Grower? Oh-my-god, it was too hilarious for words. Talk about opposites. She finished her shift in the greenhouse and said her goodbyes, feeling much more relaxed than when she arrived. Unfortunately, she needed to clean up before going to her office so headed back to her apartment. Showered and changed into her usual attire, simple grey slacks and a light knit top, Alexa was walking to her office when Anabel came running up to her. Face red with exertion and panting.
“We have a problem!” Immediately Alexa jerked to attention.
“What is it?” Alexa demanded.
“Earth sent their report. They want the Shifters out of confinement when the Ambassador’s group comes.” She huffed out in exacerbation. Alexa pursed her lips tightly.
“Did they give a reason?” She asked, pulling up her own data pad and finding the news in her inbox. Shit.
“The
y think it’s pointless to have Shifter’s here if they can’t be around any Aliens. I have to say...they do have a point. This Colony is the posting that allows Alien visitors. If the Shifters can’t adapt then then need to be Earthside.”
“Do they have any idea’s on how to get the Shifters comfortable enough not to go Beast?” She snapped out, Anabel gave her a disgruntled look. Alexa winced and gave her an apologetic look. This wasn’t Anabel’s fault.
“Yes, but you’re not going to like it.”
“I conferenced Commander Harkens on Earth, he thinks that if you continually display superior dominance in front of the Aliens the Shifter’s will calm down. Right now everyone is tense and unsure. He say’s the Shifter’s beast will be looking for assurance that you can handle the Aliens.” Anabel said with a shrug, giving Alexa a owl-eyed look of nonchalance. Commander Harkens was the Shifter Cabinet official and he knew his kind well. His suggestion had merit but she was reluctant.
