Star Guardian

BEFORE BRIAN WAS even born, the unthinkable happened. Aliens abducted his mother, Molly Westwood. It happened one night, she was taken in the dark and never returned. There were no clues, no trace of where she went.

Her alien abductors were of a race that would sometimes gather samples from more primitive, non space-faring races for study. The alternatives would be to land on a world and make direct contact publicly, or to try to blend in with the subjects in a covert operation, both of which involve significant risks. Primitives are rife with superstition and fear that renders them far too dangerous for direct contact, especially in numbers. So the standard operating procedure is to bring back isolated samples, and learn from them.

At the time, her selection was quite arbitrary. She lived alone in a fairly isolated place, and so others would not see her abduction and raise alarm or otherwise provoke the indigenous population. Earth was a closed world to all space-faring races, except for the occasional scientific study. Exposure to the humans was prohibited, and ever since they managed to reach out with space probes, the moon and other planets within the sol system were off limits too.

They took Molly back in a space cruiser to their home world, to live there the remainder of her life as their guest. She could not be returned, since having learned about them she was contaminated with knowledge of her hosts and their more advanced technology. They would not risk her disturbing the status quo back at Earth. A missing person is one thing, but one that later reappears with knowledge of alien abduction would be too much. Equally, tampering with her memory was a risky prospect, usually resulting in little more than a vegetable. So for Molly, the journey to their home world was a one-way trip.

It took a few weeks aboard the space cruiser to get to their home world, during which time Molly was confined to her quarters. The aliens provided for her basic needs, but otherwise left her alone. She was the subject of a study into primitive species, which meant that she was not to be disturbed. The protocol for the transfer of samples was to limit interactions with the sample that could contaminate and invalidate the study. So after an uneventful journey, the space cruiser arrived at its destination, and Molly was eventually escorted to living quarters on the planet which would be her new home.

Fortunately for Molly, their study did not involve any painful probing or dissection, like some humans feared. It was more like getting to know her via observation and, if possible, communication. She was simply their guest, for an indefinite stay, while they learned more about humans. In numbers, the primitives could be dangerous, but individuals posed little danger to these alien scientists.

The place that was provided for Molly was nicer than her former home, but for her it was still a form of confinement. There was no lock on the door, and she was free to go out and explore. But being alone in an alien world, she felt little desire to venture out. She was observed both directly and indirectly as she went about her new life. The aliens, known as Tians (pronounced Tee-ans), would study her daily. She felt a like an exhibit in a zoo.

Tians were part of a loose syndicate of star-faring races. They were mostly peaceful, and they welcomed visitors from other star-faring races, for trade and other mutual benefits. Her abduction was part of the equivalent of some anthropology experiment, conducted by the Tian science academy.

She was the only human, and one of a few specimens from primitive races, collected for study, although she never met any other subjects. It sounded good if you were the ones doing the studying, but not much fun if you were the subject.

Tians looked roughly human, but without hair and a bit shorter in height. They had pale skin and wore clothing that was mostly uniforms or plain in design.

Their mannerisms were cold and reserved, or at least that is what Molly thought. The Tian scientists were cautious not to contaminate the suspect with their own communication, so they remained distant. The unfortunate result was a reinforcement of the feeling of isolation she felt.

One thing her abductors had not planned for was the birth of her son, Brian, who arrived about six months after her arrival. He was an unexpected bonus for the Tian scientists. He provided both another human to study, and some much needed human company for his mother.

The birth went smoothly. At the time, Molly was both glad to have her son and sad that he would never see his father.

Molly bonded with the little bundle of joy, determined to raise him as best she could in this alien prison. She named him Brian after her grandfather.

Brian learned both about Earth, and being human from his mother. From the point he was old enough to venture outside, he got to learn of the world of his birth, known as Tian Prime. Molly taught her son to speak English, and she tried to teach him reading and writing. But she had no Earth books to read and only she would be able to read his writing. Eventually she gave up, glad she at least had someone to talk with.

Unknown to Molly, the Tian scientists did have a collection of books and documents they had collected for their studies of Earth. They had recorded countless hours of TV and radio broadcasts. She never knew about the existence of such things, and they never thought to offer.

The Tians provided for Molly and Brian’s needs, but with things of Tian origin. Things like furniture, utensils, clothing and toys. To Brian it was all quite normal, as he grew up with a human mother and surrounded by alien items.

A good thing of note, Brian’s birth on Tian Prime earned him a full Tian citizenship, complete with an identification chip, which was encoded and embedded in his arm. He was perhaps the first ever citizen who was not of the Tian race. At least he never met another like him.

The Tians explained to Molly, that it was in their laws and constitution that granted his citizenship. He would grow to become a member of their society, with all rights and privileges.

In comparison, Molly was a subject of their study and her status equated to that of a guest. She would never have or gain the right of citizenship, but she would live out her life as a guest, free of responsibility. Under the standard terms of the study of primitive species, she would be provided for, and protected. She could not be returned to Earth though.

As a citizen, Brian was entitled to a full education. In time, he attended the Tian education system, and learned Tian and multiple alien languages, including reading and writing.

Brian was the most unique Tian citizen in a long time, and that got him some unwanted attention in Tian society. He learned to keep a low profile when in public, and he developed the skills to avoid trouble when he could.

Time passed and Brian grew up. He kept up with his studies. He put in the extra effort, and it showed. At 14 cycles, he had earned the respect of his teachers and classmates. He behaved in a very Tian-like manner in public, and you would not be able to distinguish him from other Tians except for the physical differences. He had learned to blend in was the best way to keep a low profile. Other beings might look at him as strange at first, but in time they would get used to the differences and he would be just another Tian.

The relative advancement of Tians versus humans was not so much one of developmental, but knowledge and technology. The expectations of his teachers for success caused a self-fulfilling prophecy or Pygmalion effect. Brian was one of the top in his classes.

Molly never got over her abduction. She felt like a prisoner, living in a nightmare. She refused to cooperate with her alien captors, rarely leaving her living quarters and not learning their language. She taught her son to speak English, and would only use English with him. She could not understand what he did outside, or why he would even interact with the aliens the way he did. For a lot of the time she was depressed and withdrawn.

Brian cared about his mother, but as a child he was ill equipped to help. Her distance from him helped push him to succeed at his studies. He did all he could to be a success, so that his mother would feel better. Of course his efforts had the reverse effect, but he was too young to understand then.

Brian knew he could not go to Earth, and by now understood why. Genetically, he was human. But due to his upbringing he was in no way a normal human. Although his mother had told Brian that she was from some country known as America on the planet Earth, he was born on Tian Prime, with all the learning of a Tian citizen. There were no countries or other divisions in Tian society, which made so much more sense to him than the primitive culture on Earth.

His education on Tian Prime had him far ahead of his mother and those of her home planet. He had no claim to a life there, nor did it appeal to him. He identified with Tian Prime more than Earth. He was Tian in all ways except genetics. His fellow students were Tian, not human. They were friendly enough to Brian. The only human he knew was his mother, and she was perpetually sad. Her example of what it was to be human did not appeal to him. If Earth was full of people like his mother, it must be a sad place indeed.

As he progressed in his education, he took subjects including astrophysics, stellar cartography and navigation. He understood that he lived among the stars and he saw his future there. He studied how hyper drive technology allowed travel between star systems, and his enthusiasm caused him to excel in those studies.

One night a little after he was 16 cycles of age, Brian had a strange dream. He knew it was a dream, because he woke up remembering it. It was strange because he rarely recalled any details from his dreams.

He dreamt that when he closed his eyes and looked into the darkness; a pair of eyes opened and stared back at him. They resembled his own eyes, except they were green, and only a metre away from his face. He couldn’t see any other features in the darkness, he could tell they had eyelids because the eyes opened and closed. He heard no words spoken in that dark place. The eyes just looked at him. They didn’t appear to be Tian. They might even be human. He didn’t have enough evidence to be certain. He thought perhaps they belonged to a girl.

He felt a mixture of surprise and awe, and feared opening his eyes, lest the dream ended. It was like he’d turned a corner one dark night, and come face to face with someone. He didn’t know what to do. So he remained motionless, waiting for what would happen next. He sensed no menace in the eyes, maybe even something positive. He wasn’t afraid, rather he felt drawn towards them. That was all he recalled the next morning.

He didn’t understand what the dream meant, but it had to be something important. He tried to sketch what he had seen, but he wasn’t that good at drawing, so eventually he gave up trying.

I returned home late one afternoon to find several official looking vehicles parked outside my home. The entrance was open and there were a number of strangers inside. One of the strangers, wearing a uniform I did not recognize, blocked my entry.

“My name is Brian. I live here,” I stated calmly, and without a hint of emotion. I learned long ago to dial down my human side when dealing with other Tians. It made me appear volatile or disrespectful. Underneath I was anxious. I took a slow breath to centre myself.

The being signalled another who came out and walked with me a short distance from the entrance.

“What happened?” I asked. He took out a hand scanner from his uniform and confirmed my identity before speaking.

“Your mother is dead,” he said, straining to look up at my face.

I did not respond immediately. My intuition told me my next response was critical. Do not smile or do anything that could be seen as an admission of guilt. Do not get angry or upset. That could suggest I might become aggressive. My responses are being recorded as evidence.

I took another breath, and let it out. I kept my arms near my sides, no big gestures that could be misunderstood. So far so good. He was not preparing to apprehend or subdue me. I may be bigger, but I was unarmed. No need to compound things. “Can you tell me how it happened?”

“Initial evidence shows that she killed herself earlier this afternoon.”

“I see…” I had known this was a possibility for some time. It wasn’t a shock to me. Sometimes I was hoping for it. She was a mass of negativity and despair. Nothing I did could help. At least now she was at peace. “She has not been happy as long as I can remember.”

While I was processing the information another uniformed being, this one a female, came over and stood beside me quietly. I did not have anything more to say really. I was mentally going over the last interactions I had with my mother. I’m pretty sure the vid-recordings will confirm that I did not say or do anything to push her over the edge. (grin) They don’t have anything on me, or they would be treating me differently.

The female reached up to put her hand on my shoulder. Was she trying to show empathy with me? I tried to calm myself further and focused on neutral thoughts in case she was trying to read me in some way.

It’s not every day you lose your only parent. I don’t want to break down in front of strangers. Tears are definitely not Tian, there would be a time for that later. I am Tian, and I need to act like one. I took a breath and wiped my eyes on my sleeve.

“Your mother left this for you.” She said, passing me a note. I took a look at it but it was written in English. I’d never really managed to learn to read that language though. But I did not feel inclined to share this right now. I put the note in my pocket. I took another calming breath.

“So, what happens now?” I asked her. The other being had backed off leaving me in her care. As a minor, I figured she was assigned to my care.

“Brian. I am from the central orphanage. As of today, your status has been updated to orphan. I will help you gather your possessions and relocate you to your new home. I have also contacted the scientists, because your mother was a subject of their study. They suggested that human rituals involved burial of their dead. They would like to arrange a suitable ceremony, and ask if this would be acceptable to you as ‘next of kin’.”

I nodded my agreement. By now I was pretty sure she had not picked up any of my inner thoughts. My secrets were safe.

Within a short time, my mother finally left her self-imposed prison in a bio-container. Most of my life I had rarely seen her step out of the entrance to our home. This event seemed both surreal and somehow important. I had a hard time getting it though, I felt numb.

Shortly after, we gathered my things and left.

The central orphanage was very nice. It was well staffed with qualified and caring beings. I had a room to myself, at least as good as the one I had before. The decor was fairly plain, like all Tian dwellings. I was perfectly happy with it, since I grew up a Tian. They did have a slightly longer bed for me, which was a plus as I was starting to outgrow my last one.

A couple of days later, I got to attend the “funeral”. It was a simple ceremony, with a few of the scientists and some of my classmates in attendance. The scientists had provided a plot of land with a nice view of the mountains and we laid her to rest there.

I learned from the scientists that their study of about 15 cycles in duration was now concluded. They were moving on to something else and they bid me farewell. I smiled. I had long ago made a list of all their names, and one day I planned to deal with them. I was not ready yet, I was still young, and I needed to plan it out carefully.

After the funeral I returned to the orphanage. Free from distractions, I applied myself to my studies. Over time I took subjects more focused on a career involving space travel, including advanced astrophysics and navigation. Whatever subjects I selected, I excelled at. Clearly I was on a mission. My mentors and the counsellors at the orphanage saw me as a model citizen, and a testament to their guardianship. Perhaps as a result of my good behaviour, they did not interfere with my progress. They could take credit for my success, or devote their time and energy to less well-adjusted beings in their care. I did not care what they did. I would not give them a reason to bother me. By now I was able to use the system to my advantage, and find what I needed without their help.

I added training in weapons and unarmed combat to my schedule. Tians were fairly peaceful, but I knew I’d need them sometime in the future.

At the early age of 18 cycles, I had all the pre-requisites, and I expressed my intention to go for training and certification as a shuttle pilot. This was when I first noticed a reaction. I was invited to an office for a meeting.

“Brian, are you sure this is a wise move?” my so-called career counsellor asked me. At this point in my life, I still needed the approval of a guardian.

“It is what I want to do. I’ve completed all the pre-requisite subjects. I’ve met all the entrance criteria,” I responded.

“I had hoped you’d choose something different,” she said.

“It is in my career plan that I prepared 2 cycles ago, the one that YOU reviewed,” I was getting red in the face. She had noticed my reaction, and seemed anxious. How could she about face and shoot me down now? Was she under orders to keep me grounded? I took a deep breath. I did not want her to use my emotions against me and get labelled as irrational or unstable.

“How about some courses in applied physics? I’m sure you will find them more suitable?” she was some piece of work. I was fantasizing about doing some serious injury to her, but I could not show anything. Not here, not now.

“It is what I want to do,” I repeated calmly. “How about we see if I get accepted for shuttle pilot training? If not, I will meet with you to discuss alternatives then.” I was calm but firm in my resolve. We both knew I would be top of the list for acceptances. Besides, I had already sent in my application. If she blocked such an ideal candidate, she would have to explain her actions to someone. And I was very close to adding her name to my list at this point.

A couple of days later, I got an acceptance response. My so-called career counsellor was not happy at all, but I was now beyond her reach. I could care less for her, and knew to prune back any interacting with her in the future. I was done with her. I could not see any logic in interactions with a being that was of no benefit to me. It turned out that was the last time we met, perhaps she had the same assessment?

I took to shuttle pilot training like a duck to water. I was motivated, and exceptionally keen for a Tian. I completed my shuttle pilot certification with near perfect scores. I had my first vocational qualification!

I immediately signed up for shuttle assignments. There was plenty of demand for qualified shuttle pilots. Tian Prime is a hub in this part of space, and lots of vessels would arrive in orbit and need cargo and personnel moved. I encountered no further resistance, and I had a job to keep me busy. I was a productive member of Tian society.

From then on, I spent more of my time piloting a shuttle into orbit, and delivering cargo and personnel to vessels that were visiting Tian Prime. I got to look down on the planet of my birth, and see it in all it’s glory.

Actually I saw how small Tian Prime was in comparison to the galaxy. It was quite the paradigm shift. As a child you look up to your elders, but now I looked down on them all. I looked down, and I was not impressed.

I met beings from other star-faring races, either aboard their vessels while loading cargo, or planet-side at the Central spaceport. I knew some of their languages from my earlier studies, but I soon reached the limitations of my knowledge. Fortunately they almost all spoke Tian. I was one of the youngest shuttle pilots, looked kind of weird (for a Tian) and I was passionate/less reserved (for a Tian). I became popular for the first time in my life.

Planet-side, no-one questioned my choices any more, or perhaps it was that I did not need to get some being’s approval. I was calm, rational and unemotional. I performed a needed role as a pilot. I gave all the right responses, ensuring no justification for anyone to interfere with my life. I was a perfect Tian, with a career ahead of me. My experience in space gave me a calm confidence, that few would be able to disturb.

The day arrived, and I celebrated my birthday, of 20 cycles. I had reached the Tian age of maturity. This day my status changed from orphan/ward of the state to adult Tian. I was free to move out from the orphanage, to pursue a career or do anything I wanted.

I had no family to tie me here. It was time for me to move on.

As a citizen of a space-faring race there were multiple opportunities to travel the stars. There was of course the Tian military, and scientific exploration vessels, and commercial passenger and freight transports.

Based on my experience as a shuttle pilot, I decided to try out as crew aboard a cargo freighter. It would take me away from here, and I would get to see the galaxy.

There was a freighter I had contact with before, the Opolu Naa, from the Ori Confederation. The Ori were marginally taller than me, so they were significantly taller than Tians. I was reasonably proficient with their language by now. I commed the captain, and asked for an interview at the Central spaceport.

I arrived at the offices of the Ori Confederation at the spaceport. It was a bit more luxurious to me than I was used to. Tian buildings were mostly spartan. I already felt a little out of my comfort zone. My previous experience with Ori was loading cargo into the hold of their ships. In comparison to Tian decor this felt pompous to me.

I walked up to the desk in the entrance area, and announced myself to a female Ori seated there.

“Hello, my name is Brian and I have a meeting with captain Jegho of the Opolu Naa,” I said. I tried to keep calm like the Tian I was.

“Welcome Brian to the Ori Confederation!” she said with a smile in perfect Tian, except Tians never smile. “Just so you know, these offices are sovereign territory of the Ori Confederation. Our scanners checked your ID as you entered. I have approved your visa for the duration of your visit today. Please follow the floor lighting to the meeting room down the hall on the right.”

Woah, I am no longer on Tian territory? I kept a calm face, nodded and proceeded as directed. A lot of buildings had these kind of floor lights, which helped you find the right place to go.

I entered the meeting room, the door closing behind me. There were two Ori beings seated at a large table. The wall on one side was a huge window with a view of the spaceport outside. The one on the left I recognized as captain Jegho, having met him before. They both stood and greeted me.

“Welcome Brian,” said captain Jegho, in Ori, “you know me of course, and this is Trade Ambassador Wolak. He is in charge of these offices, and represents the Ori Confederation in trade and diplomatic relations with the Tian federation.”

By now I felt a little overwhelmed. I expected to meet the captain only. I nodded. I did not know what a polite Ori response was. They seemed to overlook that. We sat down at the table.

“Brian, the captain asked me to join him in meeting you today. I hope you don’t mind, but I have some concerns I’d like to address,” said Wolak. Like the captain, he had a warm smile, and seemed genuine enough. But what concerns?

“ Ambassador Wolak, it is kind of you to take time out of your schedule to meet with me. Please ask away,” I responded in my best Ori. I tried to project calm, radiate the absence of issues. One thing my late mother taught me was good manners.

“Brian, you are Tian by birth. But you are not genetically Tian?”

“Correct sir, my mother and father were from a planet of a primitive, non space-faring race. My mother was brought here before I was born.”

“And I understand that until recently you were a ward of the state, but you are now past the age of maturity?” He asked.

“Correct again. I reached the age of 20 cycles about one lunar cycle ago. Is that an issue sir?” I maintained the calm face, the unfathomable nothingness that was characteristic of Tians. Inside I was confused and waiting for the shoe to drop.

“No. I was getting to that. According to your ID, your credentials are impeccable, you have no criminal record, and best of all, the captain here vouches for your polite attitude and shuttle piloting skills.” He looked over at the captain and they both smiled.

“…Life aboard a freighter is a long one, and not a decision to take lightly. It is not glamorous. The freighter becomes your home, your workplace, your family. It takes a certain type of person to fit that lifestyle.”

“I think I understand, and I still would like to apply,” I said.

“And there is the question of why the Ori Confederation? You could apply to work aboard a Tian freighter?”

“Correct sir, I could apply to a Tian freighter. Perhaps I would be more comfortable with a Tian crew. But I don’t want to settle for comfortable. I have been up in orbit, seen the stars. I have met beings from other races, and I want to stretch myself out of my comfort zone. I think it will make me a better being. I do this of my own free will, and I consider myself to be of sound mind and body.” I hoped that would settle it. It was the most Ori I had spoken ever. I had put in lots of extra time on brushing up on my Ori for this. I had prepared for several questions, and this was one of them. Captain Jegho smiled at me.

“For most applicants, I could check with their parents that an applicant has thought it all through, that there is no ulterior motive for leaving Tian Prime. I contacted your former orphanage, would you like to know their comments?” Ambassador Wolak looked at me. I nodded.

“They suggested I decline your application. Their opinion is you might be more suited to a career closer to home,” he said. I was going to add some more names to my list. I had trusted those beings…

The ambassador continued before I had a chance to blow a fuse “Brian, since you are of a maturity, their comments hold less weight. I do take the word of my captain highly. On behalf of the Ori Confederation, If you are still of a mind to apply to join the crew of the Opolu Naa, I will not block your application.” I nodded, smiling for once. “Captain, it is your decision,” he said to captain Jegho.

“Brian, welcome to the crew of the Opolu Naa. Report in two days for medical and departure thereafter,” said the captain.

The ambassador punched a few things on a tablet “As of now, your visitor visa has been extended to a work visa. All Ori Confederation vessels are sovereign territory, and your ID chip will now grant you access to work aboard them. I left the expiry date open, so if or when you decide you have had enough, the captain can arrange to take care of things. Also, if you work past 5 cycles, you’re eligible for citizenship in the Ori Confederation. It is entirely optional, but I’d recommend it. Our long and peaceful status with the Tian federation allows for dual citizenship. Captain, please update the food dispensers aboard to recognize his unique genetic profile, so that his first meal aboard does not kill him.”

“Yes, of course Mr ambassador,” said the captain. The meeting broke up after that and I returned home.

I went and took a last look at the place where mother was buried. Then I packed my few belongings, and two days later reported to the spaceport.

I got off the transit at Central Spaceport and proceeded towards the offices of the Ori Confederation, but before I made it to the entrance I was intercepted by spaceport security. He insisted I come with him. What could I do? He was wearing a uniform, body armour and was armed. I was a law-abiding citizen and always had a cautious, if not sincere, respect for law enforcement. I forced myself to remain calm and accompanied him to the spaceport security offices.

I was taken to an interview room. It was spartan, even by Tian standards. There was a table and two chairs, all firmly fixed to the floor. There were no windows and just the one door. I sat in a chair and waited. Inside I was frustrated and annoyed, I was so close to leaving this stupid little planet and moving on. Outside I kept my mask firmly in place. For certain this room was being monitored. I would not let myself be tripped up at this point.

Eventually, another Tian security officer came in. He sat down in the chair opposite me.

“Brian, do you know why you are here?” he asked. Stay calm, this is likely just the beginning.

“No sir, your security officer who apprehended me did not see fit to inform me,” I responded. I think that was a breach of protocol for the officer.

“Could you please tell me the purpose of your visit to the spaceport today?” he asked. Is he trying to trick me into revealing something? I’m not doing anything wrong.

“Yes sir, I have an appointment at the offices of the Ori Confederation. I signed on as crew on the Opolu Naa and I leave today. Is there an issue sir?” I kept it calm and very polite.

“You cannot leave. Your name is on a no-fly order.” I almost lost it then. Someone had it in for me. I didn’t know who, or what I could do about it.

“I don’t understand. I’ve been working out of here as a shuttle pilot for almost a cycle and I’ve not had any trouble before. Please check your records. I have completed all the necessary applications. As a citizen, I should be entitled to go,” I said. I was finding it increasingly hard to keep my calm.

“I have checked. My orders are to hold you here and inform command. I expect they will send someone to collect you shortly,” he said.

“Understood sir. Please may I inform the Ori Confederation that I will not be able to meet with them as planned?” I was running out of options. Was I a Tian citizen or not?

“No, but I will see to it that a message is sent,” he then left the room. In my mind I was contemplating various ways of breaking out of here, disabling the officers who saw fit to detain me and making it out of the spaceport. In all the scenarios I considered, I did not make it. Too many checkpoints that could block me. The Ori Confederation would also not want to hire a criminal either. I did not like it, but the right thing to do was wait.

I waited for what seemed to be a very long time before my boredom was disturbed by the sound of voices outside the room. Soon after, the Ori ambassador and another Ori entered the room, followed by the security officer. It suddenly seemed crowded in this little room.

“Come with me Brian, we are leaving,” said the ambassador as he extended his arm towards me. I got up to leave. The security officer started to object. The other Ori, whom I had not met before blocked the security officer.

“Officer, the ambassador here is under a diplomatic passport and is outside the jurisdiction of your authority as per the Ori-Tian diplomatic treaty, section 47-3. The being here known as Brian is an employee in the personnel of the ambassador and for all intents and purposes is a de-facto citizen of the Ori Confederation and covered under the same diplomatic treaty and protocols governing said beings under a diplomatic passport. Any interference will be in direct contravention with aforesaid treaty and protocols. If you intend to continue to turn this into an interstellar incident, I will need to have your identification and rank for the inquest. I will also need a copy of all vid-recordings since Brian was brought in and detained, for the inquest of course. Please keep in mind, that if your government does not support your claim that you were following orders, the penalties can be rather extreme.”

I had never before met a lawyer and I was impressed. The security officer had, though, and he backed off quickly. We were soon out of their offices and moved quickly across the spaceport to the offices of the Ori Confederation. While we were walking, the ambassador tapped on his tablet. Once inside the entrance, we slowed our pace.

“I have updated your credentials to match what my lawyer said to that security officer. It should be enough to get you through the spaceport and aboard the freighter. I don’t know why, but someone on your planet really does not want you to leave. I don’t know what may happen in the future if you step foot on Tian territory,” said the ambassador.

It was a rare occasion that I was actually smiling. I was escaping the planet of my birth, that I was a citizen of. The being who was helping me was a foreign diplomat and yet I trusted him more than all the beings I had known on Tian Prime. I felt overwhelmed with trepidation and relief. I sat or more correctly I fell into a chair. This was another surreal moment in my life.

I was beginning to feel the shakes coming on when I was handed a drink. I took a sip at first and, after I decided it was safe, I took a long drink, they had kept me in that room so long I was both hungry and thirsty. It tasted kind of sweet and within a short moment I began to feel better.

“Thank you,” I said in the direction the drink had come from. By now I was surrounded by several Ori, all showing concern. After growing up with Tians, their expressions were obvious to me. If they were Tian beings I would feel uncomfortable, as such expressions are never shown. But since I had come to know a bit about Ori, they all felt genuine to me. In my entire life, only my mother had been so open with expressions of emotions. It felt both a bit overwhelming and nice.

“We are behind schedule. If you are feeling better, please come this way,” said the ambassador.

Next on the agenda was medical screening. This was standard procedure when going aboard a vessel, to make sure you don’t bring any planet-side germs with you. It was mostly automated using scanners and such. My ID chip was updated and then I was immediately taken aboard an Ori shuttle and travelling up to the Opolu Naa in orbit. In my haste I didn’t even get to say goodbye to the ambassador.

TRAVEL TO THE freighter via the Ori shuttle was uneventful. We were still in Tian controlled space, so we travelled without delay. I was glad when we docked with the Opolu Naa.

“Permission to come aboard,” I said at the airlock.

“Permission granted. Welcome aboard Brian,” captain Jegho was here to greet me personally. “I understand you had some trouble planet-side, but you can tell me about it later. We should depart as soon as you are aboard and the shuttle departs. Any delay could give Tian system control an opportunity to stop us.”

I was directed to my assigned quarters, where I dropped off my gear and cleaned up. I had not yet been assigned duty, so I did not know what to do next.

By now the freighter was moving out of the solar system. Tian Prime was out of sight, if I were looking for it. I was not. I still had business with a list of beings back there, plus some not on my list who nearly messed up my plans. They would have to wait, but I would not forget them.

In my cabin was a workstation, so I used my ID chip to log in. It was not much different than the ones I had used before, only the language was in Ori. I figured to get acquainted with the protocols aboard the freighter and getting up to speed on things I would need to know. I found a section of training videos, which was very helpful, so I dug in. After each video was a test. It wasn’t too difficult, even in Ori. Actually, it was good to listen to more of the language, including technical terms used aboard the freighter. I had to think in Ori and not just mentally translate into Tian.

My training was distracted when an alarm sounded, warning that the hyperdrive was coming online. Soon I could feel a low hum and I knew we were on our way. I was aware that interstellar flight needed a huge amount of power, but until you experience it aboard a vessel, you can’t really grasp it. As a shuttle pilot, I was used to sub-light speeds. This was so much more.

An hour or so later, the hum was no longer distracting to me. I was done working through the basic training material. Several crew members had stopped by and greeted me during that time. They were all quite friendly, Ori were much less reserved than Tians. This was going to take some time to get used to. It was also different not being the tallest person in the room. In fact, there wasn’t anyone shorter than me.

On the workstation, I pulled up my profile, to see what the ambassador had done. My work visa was cancelled. It seems he had granted me full Ori citizenship and hired me as part of his diplomatic personnel. As of today, I was assigned to captain Jegho aboard the Opolu Naa for unspecified duties. Well, that made sense. I suppose a captain of a freighter like this would be a diplomatic representative for the Ori Confederation. Especially when stopping off at planets where they did not have permanent offices. My new Ori passport was a diplomatic one, which gave me certain immunities on planets with treaties with the Ori Confederation.

I decided to make a new list, of beings I was grateful to. The ambassador had the honour of being the first on this list and I suspect the captain would also be on it soon enough. Sadly, I could not think of any Tians who deserved a place on the list right now. I also felt sad that until now I did not need this second list. Perhaps after I cooled off, I would think it over some more. Right now I was still upset with my experience at the spaceport.

Later I got a summons to meet with captain Jegho. He had an office just off the tactical room. When I got there, he was sitting at his desk, studying some reports.

“Come in Brian, take a seat,” he said, smiling. His office was nice and a bit more fancy than something you’d find on a Tian vessel. I sat down in a chair opposite. “How are you enjoying your first day aboard?”

“So far so good sir. I’m very glad I made it aboard,” I said.

“Yes, I heard from the ambassador you had a tough time leaving. Did you know you are the first Tian to be serving aboard an Ori vessel?” the captain asked.

“No sir, that’s news to me.”

“The Tians are decent enough beings, but they tend to keep to themselves. Individual Tians don’t approach us looking for work. They would more likely seek work on Tian vessels. You were an exception Brian.”

“Well, as Tians, we are normally quite reserved. But I’ve had a strong desire to get out into space for a long time. As I grew older, I felt a need to distance myself from other Tians.” I said.

“One thing I’d like to emphasize here. You are Tian, but you are more than Tian. You now also have citizenship in the Ori Confederation, so you are as much Ori as Tian. I understand that your species from birth is called Human. If you were playing cards, I’d say you have an interesting hand. How you play that hand, and what you achieve is up to you.” He looked intently at me as I considered his words and then I nodded.

“While aboard this freighter and under my command, you are part of the crew. Just like the ambassador, I have your best interests at heart. I take care of my crew and in return I expect your loyalty, loyalty to me and to your fellow crewmates and to this freighter. If you ever come across a situation where you are unclear where your loyalties lie, you should come talk to me. Do you understand?” the captain looked at me all serious.

“I understand sir. You won’t have any trouble with me,” I said. My eyes mirrored his serious stare. I knew we had just made an important pact.

He smiled. I would have to get used to all these visible expressions that were so un-Tian. “I didn’t expect there would be any trouble. We are a family here and we live and work in close proximity. Any issues you can’t resolve peacefully, bring it to me and I will settle it. Make friends and get to know your crewmates. Be there for them and they will back you up when you need it. Your ID says you’re on the diplomatic team, assigned to me. Being a diplomat requires you to connect with people. We meet people of all races and with all different mannerisms. Your former life on Tian, being reserved will not help you here, so this is your special assignment. Make friends, build connections, earn their trust.”

“Yes sir. I will endeavour to connect with my crewmates.” It will take some effort.

“I have assigned you various duties to get you started. Your assignments, when and where to report and to whom are all in your calendar by now. You can access your calendar from any workstation or tablet device. Your first assignment is tomorrow. If you have any questions, ask whomever you are working with or send me a message and I will respond. Understood?”

“Yes sir”

“Welcome aboard. Dismissed.” I got up and left his office.

The next few days went well. I threw myself into my duties. As I promised the captain, I got to know members of the crew that I came into contact with. Everyone was genuinely friendly, and a little curious to begin with. Maybe the Captain had encouraged them to reach out, or maybe that was the way Ori were. I don’t know, but it was nice. They were willing to share about themselves, which made me feel more safe to reciprocate.

I made friends for the first time ever. I found myself spending more of my off-duty time with crewmates, and less hiding away in on my own. Life aboard was such a contrast to Tian society and my life on Tian Prime, where I had to keep my guard up, restrain my feelings. It was surprising, in that it was so different, and the emotional contact was something I didn’t know I was missing my whole life. It made me question my view of life, which was based solely on my life on Tian Prime. Kind of like a primitive who thought their world was flat, and then discovered it to be round. Talk about culture shock!

But I loved this new way of interacting, it was like a bird that was born to fly and had spent cycles in a cage. I shared my thoughts with my new friends, and they were happy for me and supportive. I would never have done that before. These were some of the best days of my life. If I had thought about it then, I would have realized that on Earth, Humans are probably more like the Ori. I was born to be a social being. My mother was broken and not a good example of how to live my life. Tians were also broken, or severely limited. It took meeting the Ori for me to see how it should be, how I should be.

About ten days into the journey, the hyper drive went offline and the freighter decelerated to sub-light speed as we approached our next port of call. This place was known as the Trading Post. It was a huge space station, just floating in the middle of nowhere. I’d learned that the nearest inhabited system was some distance away, and had no claim to this place. Stories told of how the station was first built by traders, as a convenient stop off, where several trading routes met. Various traders brought modular components here over many cycles, and the station grew to what it is today. There were docking ports for various types of vessels, a complex recycling facility, plus all traders were expected to help resupply the trading post in lieu of docking fees.

I watched out of an observation window, and saw the station getting closer as we approached. It seemed that the closer we got, the slower we moved. A while later the mooring connections and umbilicals were connected and we were secured. Our vessel was a fairly large freighter, but it was dwarfed by the Trading Post.

“Welcome to the Trading Post.” The captain said over the communications. “We will NOT be staying long, and there is no shore leave here. This can be a dangerous place if you are here on your own, but we should be fine in numbers if we stay aboard our vessel. All crew to be on alert at their posts until we depart.”

I figured it was better not to rush into somewhere dangerous. The captain made sense to me.

I got assigned to help with moving cargo. A large docking port was already attached to the airlock on the main cargo bay, and I used a grav sled to move pallets loaded with cargo out to a loading bay on the station. I also loaded some new cargo aboard and stowed it, before the airlock was closed and the docking port disconnected. I had no interaction with, nor did I see any beings in the loading bay. It seemed a bit creepy, which was not something I had ever experienced before. We were alert the whole time we were moving cargo. Soon the transfer was complete and we were back aboard the Opolu Naa. I was relieved when the airlock sealed shut.

Shortly after completing the cargo transfer, the captain ordered departure, and soon after that we undocked and began to move away from the Trading Post. We soon picked up speed. Later the hyperdrive came online and the Opolu Naa travelled on into the darkness.

IN SPACE, DISTANCES between inhabited systems are huge. Travelling at hyperdrive can take weeks to get there. This was my first long trip, and as the trip continued the freighter seemed to get smaller. A fellow crewmate had explained to me that it often happens on a first voyage. The confines of being in a vessel for an extended period in deep space is quite different than living on a planet surface where you can step out for a breath of fresh air. You have to come to terms with the claustrophobia or it can drive you crazy. It is possible to get anti-anxiety meds, but I found what I needed from breathing and meditation techniques.

Another new experience for me was the Ori culture, or at least what I experienced as a part of the crew. It was normal to openly express feelings, and to communicate about all sorts of subjects that Tians would never openly discuss. It took me some mental effort to open up with my crewmates. This was my special assignment. Fortunately everyone was keen to help me. I think because I was shorter in comparison to the average Ori, they saw me as a young orphan male - one who needed help overcoming shyness.

On Tian Prime, I’d grown up without a father figure in my life, and my mother had passed when I was young. It was the Tian culture to not show emotion and keep to yourself. Although I wanted to distance myself from my Tian heritage, it was not that easy. If I did not have my special assignment in my mind, I would have struggled with anxiety over the closeness with my crewmates.

For a long trip in space, you need activities to keep you from going crazy, and from letting your mind and body atrophy. There are assigned duties to keep the freighter working, and then you have learning or fitness activities. I studied many of the various online training programs, and I spent time in the gym as well. I was determined to do well on my first voyage. For a while I was successful.

About 12 days since we left the Trading Post, I heard a loud alarm sound. After days of smooth running, and only the hum of the hyperdrive engines, this was quite disturbing! Soon after, I heard the captain over the communications system.

“All crew, we are being pursued by multiple hostile vessels. They have picked the most remote area to come after us, there being no nearby inhabited systems. The hostiles are not responding to our communications hails, and it looks likely they intend to board us. This is not a training drill.”

Soon after, I felt the explosions from the aft direction. We were being fired upon. At the time I was in the cargo hold, performing an inventory check. Each hit shook everything around me. So I moved into an open area so that nothing overhead could fall on me. Where can I go? Where would the safest place be?

Of course I was unarmed, untrained and inexperienced in dealing with pirates. I figured it was pirates. It had to be. Who else would be out here attacking an unarmed freighter? Even if I had found the online training for dealing with pirate attacks, I don’t think the pirates would have watched them.

Just then, the hum of the hyperdrive engines stopped, and I knew we were slowing to sub-light speed. This far out in deep space without propulsion was already a death sentence. Definitely time to panic!

It had been some minutes since that announcement from the captain. Perhaps the communications system was down in this area. My mind was not prepared for this! The cargo bay had no windows, so I had no clue what was happening.

I decided to exit the cargo bay and find somewhere safer. I figured that pirates would be interested in cargo, so the cargo bay was dumb place to hide. As I made it through the hatch into the main corridor, I could tell there was some kind of fire happening aft in engineering, with smoke and fumes coming up the corridor. Fire suppression was overwhelmed? So I turned in the other direction, and in the chaos I almost immediately stumbled into another crew member.

I knew her name was Koluna, a junior officer. She was from Ori 7 and worked in something like purchasing, which could be useful when trading, but utterly useless when dealing with pirates. I mean, imagine the pirates with a look of fear on their faces - “Watch out, this one’s a purchasing agent! Aaargh!” I made a quick decision, took hold of her hand and said “We have to get out of here.”

She made no argument and we proceeded forwards, along the main corridor, away from the smoke. In reality, I did not know where to go exactly, but I felt I had to do something. Like I said, I had no training for dealing with pirate attacks. There was no time to wait for orders.

Moving past a couple of bulkheads and along another corridor we passed a window that looked out into space. Through it we could see the freighter was coming to a stop, and there were several other vessels closing in on our freighter. One looked like it was docking with the large airlock in the cargo bay. I was glad I had left that area.

There had been no announcements on the communications system since that first one, so there was no way to know if anyone was still alive or in command or anything. Koluna had said nothing at this point, and I guessed she was in shock. We were still holding hands.

We kept moving and soon came across a hatch labelled (in Ori) that said “Escape Pods”. I decided to hide in there, figuring that the pirates were boarding the freighter. This might be the last place they would search for us.

Once through the hatch, there were more hatches for multiple small escape pods. I opened the door to one of the escape pods, and before I could get in, Koluna was already getting in. I climbed in after her and closed the hatch and waited. My heart was beating very fast and it was a struggle to calm down. Looking around I could see no weapons, nothing to defend ourselves, and even if there were I was not sure that exiting the escape pod to fight armed pirates would be a wise move. So we waited.

WE SAT IN the escape pod for a long time, trying to steady our breathing and listening for any signs of anything. An escape pod is not designed to be a good place to observe what is going on, it has one primary function, to allow crew or passengers to escape a ship. So we continued to wait.

Then suddenly there was a noise of explosions, it sounded like the freighter was being destroyed. At about the same time, there was a whoosh sound, as the escape pod we were in was automatically jettisoned out into space. I learned later that it was part of Ori safety protocols - in the event of a core explosion, all occupied escape pods were ejected.

Another stroke of fortune happened that wasn’t evident at the time. Thanks to the orientation of our escape pod on the freighter relative to the pirate vessels, we hurtled away from the exploding freighter on the side away from the pirates. We could have been going straight towards the pirates, but we were not. The blast from the exploding freighter mercifully hid us from the pirate vessels sensors. Neither of us were in a state to appreciate that at the time. It is quite traumatic to be spat out into the void, in a small capsule, knowing that pirates just killed all your crewmates and may still be out there.

Like I said earlier, an escape pod is not good for windows. We could not see what was going on. We did not know that the pirates, had killed and plundered as much as they wanted from what had been our home, and had moved their vessels back and fired their weapons at the freighter, triggering the final explosion.

That was the last we knew of the pirates. Somehow we had slipped away. We did not know if anyone else had escaped. I knew we were in a remote area of space, and probably not any better off than our likely now deceased crewmates.

The interior of the escape pod was quite small, with a couple of seats surrounded by storage hatches and in front was a small control panel. With the two of us in there, it was full, with no room to stand up. There was no artificial gravity in here, and the pod was likely spinning as it travelled through space, so standing up didn’t make much sense. The leg room was ok, since it was built for Ori, who were taller than me. After a long while, I experimented with the control panel and was able to bring up a view of the outside, it was black - no surprise. I soon turned it off to save power.

Time passed slowly. It had been a while since we had left the freighter, and the stress and the adrenalin had worn off. We both fell asleep. We slept for a long time in the escape pod as it traveled along silently through space. The attack and the pirates were far behind us now.

When I finally awoke, I turned and saw Koluna looking at me. She still looked to be disturbed, if I was any judge of Ori facial expressions and their meanings.

I sat up and turned to the control panel. I studied the readings, which were in Ori. It had been about two days since the explosion. Where did the time go? We were in deep space and far from anywhere. I saw that the emergency distress beacon was not active, and so I activated it. There was of course the risk that the pirates might detect our beacon and come after us, but I figured the risk now small enough. After all, they already got what they wanted from the freighter, and a distress call would not guarantee anything of value. To not activate it would pretty much guarantee that we would never be found. After I activated the beacon, there was little else I could think of doing, so I sat back.

Koluna spoke, for the first time since we left the freighter. “The air recycling is working, we have food rations that should last a while, and we don’t have a change of clothing. We might smell a bit in a few days, but we’ll survive for now.”

“I should be careful what I eat.” I answered, “As I am different, the Ori rations may not be entirely compatible for me. So what now?”

Koluna took my hand in hers and looked into my eyes and said “The rations will be fine. Bri-an, I thank you for saving my life. I have had some time to process the events that happened, at least from my perspective. I don’t think I would be alive if you had not brought me with you. In Ori culture we have what we call a life-debt. That means I owe you my life.”

Her laser-like attention was focused on me, and that made me feel strange. I blushed. “You don’t owe me anything Koluna. I really didn’t do that much, I was acting on instinct. I had missed the training on what to do when attacked by pirates. I don’t even know if there is such training, and if there was it clearly did not help the others.” I was babbling, but I could not help it. When crammed into a small escape pod with another being, there is not much separation, nor can you look away easily. This was even more intimate than I had experienced recently on the freighter. At least there I had my own cabin to retreat to.

“I don’t recall any training on pirates, and if there was I never took it either. When I signed up I didn’t think about pirates, they don’t mention it in their recruiting videos. I thought the only excitement would be in negotiating purchases of cargo. I was confused and lost in the smoke, then you came along and pulled me into this pod. You can argue all you like, but I still owe you a life-debt.”

“I don’t feel like I did anything. I feel guilty that I did not do more to save others.” I said. My hand felt warm in hers. Tians rarely hold hands, so it was infinitely more noticeable to me.

“A lot of good Ori citizens died a meaningless death back there.” She said sadly.

“Yes, I miss Captain Jegho especially. He was very kind to me. I understand now that it is normal for Ori culture. But I grew up on Tian Prime, and Tians pretty much keep their distance. The captain was the first being that was warm and friendly to me.”

Koluna was still holding my hand, but she didn’t let it go. In fact, she held on firmly and held my eye contact for a few moments while she continued to study my face. I felt awkward, not sure where to look. Tians do not stare in your face like that.

“I agree that most Tians are not very warm, no offence meant. We Ori are not so reserved as Tians, as you have learned.” She paused. “But you are not like any Tian I have known.”

“It is a long story,” I said.

She smiled at me. Her face was just inches away from me. “I’m pretty sure we have time.”

I had nowhere to go, and this might be the last being I would be with, so I decided to put aside my usual reserved nature and share with her.

“My species is not Tian, I am a human. Humans are a primitive non space-faring race. About 20 cycles ago, my mother was taken from her home planet as a specimen for study by Tian scientists. They missed the fact that she was pregnant with me. I was born on Tian Prime, and thus I am a Tian by birth. I am the only non-Tian with Tian citizenship.

“My mother died about 4 cycles ago, leaving me the only human on Tian Prime. For a while I lived in an orphanage. After I reached the age of maturity, I applied for work aboard the Opolu Naa. For some reason the authorities did not like the idea of me leaving the planet, but I had help from the Ori Ambassador and of course captain Jegho. As far as I know, I’m the only space-faring being of my species. I am also the first Tian to have served aboard an Ori vessel.”

“Wow! That is amazing. And you have never seen your home world?” asked Koluna. Her eyes were wide, and her facial expressions captivated me. I was still not that experienced with Ori and their showing of emotions. Tians do not show anything.

“My home world is Tian Prime. I saw it every day. My mother came from a planet she called Earth. I don’t know where it is, and I don’t care. It is not my home world. I didn’t come from there and I wouldn’t fit in. I would be alien to them, and they would be primitive to me. I don’t see a reason to go there. I have no connections there.”

“It sounds like you have lived a rather lonely life.”

“Perhaps. By Ori standards, certainly. Tians are very reserved. Being different, it distanced me from other Tians. They could be curious when they first met me, but most beings keep with their own. I got plenty of time to myself.”

“Did you make any friends growing up?”

“Not really. I interacted with my fellow students. I worked on projects with others. I learned to be as reserved as any Tian. The first real friends I experienced, that you would classify as friends, were aboard the Opolu Naa. As I was new to the freighter, I was just getting started to develop friendships. Actually, the captain gave me an assignment to reach out and connect with the crew socially. I had to basically unlearn my Tian nature. It is difficult.”

“Well, you can continue your assignment here with me. I can’t go anywhere.” Koluna smiled. I smiled back. I felt a bit out of my depth.

“My mother was the only other human I have ever known. I learned from her that humans were far less reserved with their emotions, but she was a bad example. I think her emotions led to mental health issues, and caused her early demise. So as I grew up, I followed the Tian culture, both to fit in and because it seemed more healthy.”

Koluna’s eyes looked sad now. “Not all emotions are bad. Your mother had a hard life, and that was the true cause of her suffering. Bad things happen, just like the pirates happened to us.”

Perhaps time to change the topic? I did not feel like a debate. “Would you tell me something about yourself? That is if it is ok to ask?” I asked.

“It is ok to ask Bri-an. I will answer any questions you ask. I grew up in the Ori Confederation, which includes several planets, and I have lived on two different ones. My parents moved at one point because of their careers. I joined the Ori Merchant Guild, and I trained in purchasing - an important part of any business. My recent assignment was to the Opolu Naa.”

“What were your plans, at least before this?”

“I was saving up to one day open my own business. I enjoy trade, and could see myself doing well. Although my plans look like they are on hold now.” Koluna smiled wistfully.

“On hold perhaps, but not cancelled yet. While we live there is still hope.” Where did I get that? “I don’t know how often vessels travel this way, but it only takes one to save us.” I offered, while looking in her eyes. It seemed that eye contact was an important part of Ori communication, that was missing to Tians. My thinking was it could add emphasis, or verify your words were received, or something like that. I later learned there was so much more to eye contact, but for now I knew I did not want her to loose hope.

“I don’t like feeling so helpless, waiting to be rescued. Not knowing if we will even be rescued or not.”

The feeling of helplessness I felt was similar, but I didn’t think it would help to add to the stress Koluna was experiencing. My initial reaction as a Tian was to keep my feelings to myself. But I could tell that I needed to respond to her.

“Sorry, I should not have asked about your plans. I did not intend to upset you.” I said. I felt awkward.

“No, you are doing fine Bri-an. Come closer.” She opened her arms to me as I shuffled closer, and hugged me. Not since I was very young was I hugged by anyone. This was not like the hugs I recall from my mother. Koluna was warm, and soft. It felt nice. I was quietly wrapped in her arms, and let the feeling sink in.

That was a preview of Star Guardian. To read the rest purchase the book.

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