First Day on the Job

“We have some exciting news today. The Council of the Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments from the human Daniel Clay on their rights to petition the courts officially. It has been an outstanding issue since independent human colonies and ‘nation fleets’, a rather alien concept to this presenter, have been discovered.” A small wrinkly alien said from the news feed. “This is along side the first human citizen Noah Bannon taking up a position aboard a research vessel. It is theorized that he will be called upon to provide context from within the Community. He is…”

Noah changed to another channel the news was interesting when it wasn’t about him. Noah was glad there was glad there was an English translation on the news. It made understanding much simpler. Returning to his pull-up bar, Noah pondered the wider situation. Daniel Clay was following in his family’s footsteps and making a name for himself in the interstellar political sphere. “A Clay from Kentucky those poor bastards.” He had to laugh to him self. “They won’t know what hit them.”

“Who won’t know?” Kazhvoyova said over the intercom. “Also it’s time for your daily physical.” Noah dropped from the bar and looked though the glass of his quarantine chamber at the Roshcani. Noah wasn’t sure when he started to see her as beautiful. She was a worker caste, standing a towering five foot even, with a deep teal skin, bright green eyes and fiery red hair that was braided into a bun, her pale scrubs showed off her feminine figure. “Going to keep staring or are you getting in the scanner?” Kazhvoyova said, giving Noah a coy look.

“Yah, Yah. I thought you were off today?” Noah said stepping into the auto-doc.

“Coworker called in sick. Apparently we found something infectious to the reptilians aboard. We tested your samples, you’re immune oddly enough. Doctor Lysor wants you to give some blood to experiment on. Although with your quarantine wrapping up just swing by the medical bay once you’re out.” Kazhvoyova said glancing over the readings from the medical scanners. “You’ve got a ‘surprising’ level of immunity.” Kazhvoyova shook her head. “I swear half of the medical staff forgets that you’re a fellow death worlder.”

“Don’t forget the omnivore predator.” Noah quipped stepping from the auto-doc. “Although I suppose our similarity glosses over that fact.”

Kazhvoyova stifled a laugh. “You’re going to have a lot of minds to change.” She paused and then switched to their English Rokran hybrid. “I searched though the laws. We could room together.” Noah nodded. A satisfied smile spread across Kazhvoyova's face. “Alright everything is good here. You should be finishing up your quarantine soon. Remember to swing by medical afterwards for check out.” She said switching back to galactic common.

“Sure thing babe.” Noah said in English. Kazhvoyova blushed green, shook her head, and headed to her shift. Noah quietly laughed to himself. Six months ago if anyone had told him he'd be an interstellar independent lawman partnered with a Roshcani, not to mention a properly attractive one, Noah would have died from laughter. Yet four months of training later, than two in quarantine and he was about to start his first day on the job.

The countdown finished, a voice said something in galactic common. Noah chuckled, “You're going to drown if you don't sharpen up those skills.” The door to the ship opened for him. Noah gathered his things, taking his crude sign he hoped said ‘Noah Bannon: Human. Suboptimal Galatic Common.’ He taped it to his chest, grabbed his bag. Entered the ship proper.

The GCRV Ambition was properly prefixes. The Galatic Community Reaseach Vessel was closer to a mobile space station than any kind of spaceship Earth had seen. Thanks to reverse engineering and a lot of good old fashioned thieft just short of a billion people had made it off world during the early parts of the Invasion. According to official reports about 65% had made it. Couple that with the news having nothing better to talk about other than the strange fragmented species. Noah was the center of attention as he walked the almost abandoned halls.

Each step was a struggle, the lighter gravity threatening to let him launch himself off the floor with every step. The voices of his handlers echoed though his head, “You’re a deathworlder. Your instincts need to be overwritten.” Couple this with humanity’s unknown status, Noah knew he was the outsider on the ship. Every single one of his trainers had highlighted it one way or another: pack hunting primates, hunting omnivores, or simply deathworld freak. That is what had driven his partnership with Kazhvoyova. The similarities between the Roschani and Humanity meant her presence provided a ‘path’ for the general population to follow. Noah wished he hadn’t realized the Roschani’s effect on the other alien species as early as he had. Sitting next to them during selection had smoothed over relations with the rest of the selection class.

Noah’s train of thought was halted as he got to his workshop. Noah pressed his hand against the scanner and the door opened. The space was called ‘medium’ according to the paperwork. It was the size of a six car garage, and two and a half stories tall. Small for the largest species and comically over sized for the smallest. Inside there were all the tools he had requested, and enough supplies to get him started. Noah wasn’t sure if he had come out on top or if his ‘certification mission’ had. Investigate the corruption aboard the Ambition, and deal with it as you see fit. His cover was one of an ‘experimental mechanic’ letting him get the most out of his degrees and humanity’s unknown status. Posing as someone trying to integrate the two technological bases with each other. A common job for the first members of the Galactic Community, and one Noah would rather be doing. Yet he was to play with cloaks and daggers as well. As he checked things off both the manifest and his wish list an uneasy feeling crept up on him. It was the feeling of being watched, not evaluated as he had been.

Noah glanced back to the door he had left open, he caught a glimpse of someone as they darted from sight. Remembering back to training, he presumed it was one of the more skittish species. He ordered the door shut regardless. “If they wanted to talk they would have said something.” Noah muttered to him self. ‘Unknown Query’ appeared on the ship’s computer. “Not you. I’m jus taking to myself.” The unhelpful machine flashed the same message again. Noah turned back to the bulk of his workshop. There were crates of gear that needed to be unpacked. As everything was more or less where it should be he decided the unpacking should be done properly tomorrow.

Noah picked up his bag and left his workshop. The hallways were now alive with dozens of species most of which weren’t covered in the crash course Noah received. There were two obvious classes the large, averaging close to ten feet, and the small which were under three. Now that the hallway was populated, what Noah had mistaken for decorations on the wall were walk ways for various smaller species. The same can be said for the ceiling bas there were a few monkey like crewmembers swinging from hold to hold. Noah was taken back, his two month stay in quarantine had limited the number of species he’d gotten to interact with. Largely it was the smaller medical species. Although most had chosen to communicate via text after realizing his lacking galactic common skills.

Saving the fond memories for later Noah entered the stream of traffic. Things were moving slowly, Noah found himself holding back as the larger crewmembers were closer to slow moving obstacles than proper members of the traffic. Noah moved along he wasn’t the center of attention he had assumed he was going to be when he was in quarantine. Instead it seemed the majority of species didn’t realize he was a new species. It brought a degree of comfort, as humanity must be better known than he had been lead on to believe. That or the human look a likes did enough to disguise him. Either way Noah was relieved to not be the center of attention on day one.

The larger traffic started to slow, Noah weaved his way around and under the larger crewmen trying to see what was holding up the flow of traffic. Shifting his duffle bag to his back he continued working his way though the traffic. Weaving around the stopped crewmembers Noah worked his way to the front of the pack. A limb tripped him as he got right up to the front. Stumbling out into a clearing Noah saw a young woman slumped up against the wall. At first glance he thought she was human. Small, well proportioned with beautiful black hair.

Then he saw the two black fox ears at the top of her head, which were in addition to the rather elf like ears on the side of her head, a bushy tail wrapped around from behind her. It was as dark as her hair with a white tip furthering the fox connection. She was wearing a officer’s uniform, lieutenant judging from the symbols on her jacket. Something about her tripped Noah’s first aid training. “Hello?” Noah said, hoping to get a response.

The fox girl didn’t react.

“Hello are you okay?” Noah said approaching her. Trying to figure out if she was simply asleep or if something more serious happened. Her face scrunched in what Noah read as pain. “Are you hurt?” Noah said, no response came from the woman. “I can get help if you need it.” He had closed the distance, dropping to his knees he tapped her on the shoulder.

Immediately her eyes opened and locked with Noah’s. She started moving, Noah jumped back he felt her hand impact his left shoulder. Ripping of fabric followed by the warmth of blood. He landed, reflexively taking a fighting stance. Yet the woman didn’t follow up her strike. Noah relaxed, raising and lowering his fists a few times hoping to get Is this a fight? across to her in gestures alone. Her eyes went Noah’s to his shoulder and back. Noah dropped his stance and took a step towards her. A wall of noise erupted from the crowd Noah swiveled to look at the crowed, it was a wall of confusion and fear. Noah took a step backwards towards the wall looking for a way out of the incoming chaos. His eyes shot back to lieutenant who disappeared into the crowd.

Noah started after her when a two fingered hand grabbed his good shoulder. “You need to go to medical.” a deep slow voice said. “I can take you, we must hurry.” Noah turned around to look at the speaker. They had a body covered in short wool, hooved feet two fingered hands and a head similar to a pig with a short trunk. The eyes reminded him of some kind of sea creature, with their pearly color and strange silted pupils.

“Is the lieutenant alright?” Noah said, trying to look past the alien.

“Lieutenant Nekamormi will be dealt with accordingly. First we must save your life.” The alien said concern clear in their voice. “You are seriously wounded.”

Noah blinked. “No I’ll be fine.” He twisted around to look at his shoulder. “I may be a little blood but it’s not anything that needs to be worried about. I’d rather make sure she’s alright.”

“No you’re bleeding!” The alien said head flopping around more animated than Noah thought it could be. “I am going to get you to the med bay on my name Grolvoni.”

“Nice to meet you Grolvoni.” Noah said reflexively offering his right hand. “I don’t need to go to the med bay.” Noah pulled off his shirt and started to tie it around his shoulder in a make shift bandage. When a miniature kangaroo looking like creature and a pair of giant crustaceans pushed into the clearing.

“Who. Oh no.” the kangaroo looking creature squeaked before rushing to Noah’s side. They followed the now trail of blood up to Noah’s shoulder. Jumping attempting to get a closer look at his shoulder. “Get the stretcher he’s loosing too much blood.” Their panicked squeaks continued.

"I’m fine. If one of you two,” Noah said gesturing towards the crustaceans, “could press this into my shoulder it should stop bleeding. If you insist I’ll walk with you to the med bay. I don’t want nor need to be carried.”

“I’ve never seen one loose so much blood and stay awake.” Grolvoni said admiration in their voice, “Should you survive this I’d like to get to know you better.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting food after this. Should be back out in a standard hour, or there about.” Noah said shocking all those still listening.

“I’ll be eating in the herbivore hall, if I don’t find you there I’ll come to medical.” Grolvoni said as the more crab like creature started to press on Noah’s shoulder.

“Deal.” Noah then turned to the crab, “a bit harder I’ll let you know when it’s too much. Harder stops bleeding better.” With that the lobster lead them off as the kangaroo started cleaning up the mess that was left in the hall.