Overview Of Populated Space, 2023 · Part 1 (1/2)
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Chapter 1.
I twiddled my thumbs nervously as I stared out the large transparent-aluminum viewing port that was designed to show off the docking ships. Normally I wouldn't have been uptight, but currently there was only one ship docked at the star-base and it was a "Dragon" owned ship. My chances, it seemed, of getting out of my 6 month unemployment streak were slim. Most of the humanoid dragons preferred to keep a pretty straight-forward crew of just "Dragons", but there were occasions where a human (or any other race) might be able to get a position aboard such a ship if his/her qualifications were good enough.
I fared quite well with Ion Drives, Thrusters, and in a pinch I knew a little about sensor equipment. I prayed that the recruitment officer for the ship would think me "useful". I had no fears about being the only human for several months aboard an all Dragon ship. One of the reasons I was picked to represent Humanity in Populated Space was the fact that my Psyche scores showed that I got along well with other races and showed no signs of Xenophobia, in fact, I was quite the opposite! I preferred the company of other races to that of humans, as I felt more than a little paranoid around my own people.
I had friends, but I did not visit them often and I had never had a date with any of the girls I had known, let alone sex. So when a "Wolfen" vessel was sent to introduce Humanity to the rest of the Galaxy, I had no one to stop me from deciding that it would be a fun and interesting adventure, and I took the various tests put before me and passed. Granted, the first year was tough learning all the new technologies, languages, and socially accepted behaviors, but I got by. And here I am today, nearly 10 light years from home, surrounded by a variety of alien beings that range from the bizarre to the beautiful, and to me some of the most beautiful of all were members of the "Dragon" race.
I had never spoken to any of the dragon-kind before, as they are one of the more influential races, and were rarely seen in any of P. Space's inner stations. Since the big money comes from fuel ore refining or auctioning planets off for colonization, most of the Dragon fleet was in deep space or on the outer edges of Populated Space exploring uncharted sectors for new mineral reserves and habitable solar systems. Luckily my last post aboard a small scout ship left me stranded at one of the outer posts, and Dragons here were not an uncommon thing.
Which was fine, for I found that Dragons were VERY stimulating to look at, yet it was a two-edged sword since most ships that docked here were of the Dragon race and would hire only Dragon members. My credits were already running low. If they became too depleted I would be shipped back to Earth and replaced by someone who could support themselves. I didn't want that, as it most likely meant terminal boredom. Laws here in space were much more lax, and back on Earth a lot of the freedom I have here in space would be taken away. This was the cause of my nervousness, and by the time it came for me to be called into the interviewing room I was dry-mouthed and fidgeting.
The receptionist, who was a member of the Deer species, noted my condition and asked me if I needed some water. I nodded my head and she smiled at me and pointed to a water fountain around the corner. I drank several mouthfuls, and thanked her for her help. Asking me to follow her, the doe led me to the Recruitment office for the docked ship's Company, which was just past her desk. The doe opened the office door for me and led me into a beautifully decorated room filled with plants of the like I had never seen before. A large polished wooden desk with various lighting devices and a computer console sat situated in the middle of the room.
A large, black leather-like chair that looked to be quite comfortable accompanied the desk, its twin sat on the opposing side of the desk. To add to the beauty, and the expense of the room, the entire length and height of the back wall was a reinforced section of transparent aluminum several inches thick. The sight of a wall that opened into space was quite spectacular. While I was still taking in the beauty of the room, the doe wished me good luck and winked a heavy eyelid at me and smiled. It was the first time another species had found me attractive enough to announce their interest in me sexually, and it suddenly threw my mind off course.
I quickly pried my jaw from the floor to say something, but the doe had already closed the door and left. I made a note in my mind to have a nice discussion with her at the conclusion of my interview. Even if I didn't get the job, I might still get to come out of this ahead. I was quite "unexperienced" and I hoped to correct this deficiency. There was no one currently in the room so I sat myself down in the chair facing the stars. The chair was better than it looked. It was quite soft and from somewhere within it came a cool breeze. The chair had a comfort control with adjustable temperature, operated by a dial that was in the left hand arm rest.
I turned the dial and set the temperature to a comfortable setting. I heard the swish of an automated door and turned to my right to be greeted by a tall, athletic, yet good looking middle-aged female blue dragon. She entered her office from a side room and crossed to her desk without making a sound, the starlight playing off of her scales sparkled and made her appear more silvery than blue in spots. Her cheek ruffs, which the Dragon species had somehow acquired in their evolution, were short and well combed and she was wearing the equivalent of a light weight dress that hung near her body.
It revealed a little more than I was accustomed to seeing on most Dragons on other sections of the station. The black color of the dress did not prevent the light from the stars to shine through as she crossed in front of the viewing window, and I could see quite plainly for just an instant the graceful curves of her Dragon body. I realized I was staring and quickly averted my gaze before my attention to detail was noticed by her. However, it was too late to avert my gaze for other things, and my eyes held that image in my mind until I had a growing problem. I shifted in my seat in an attempt to hide my erection until it would, hopefully with some speed, pass away.
The recruitment officer sat in her chair, looked at me and then at the viewscreen on her computer which now was filled with information about me…including, from what little I could see, the results from my tests that I had taken to be introduced into P. Space. She spoke first with a voice that was firm and yet soft for a member of her species," You are Mr. Paul Curtis, Yes?" "That is correct. I am Paul Curtis." I said with confidence. After all, I was… The female flicked a switch and the information about me changed to another screen. "Mister Curtis, I am pleased to meet you! " She stood up from behind her desk and extended her clawed, long-fingered hand to me.
"It is an honor to be one of the first of our species to welcome you to Populated Space. My name is Valesz Unridoor, I will be interviewing you, and I trust you are in good health?" "Yes, I am quite fine, and it is a pleasure to meet you as well." I took her hand and placed it up to my lips in the traditional greeting gesture of her species. It was not what I expected Dragon flesh to feel like, it was quite smooth, soft, and just slightly cool to the touch, and as I kissed the back of her hand I felt it twitch as if my touch were not what she expected as well. "It is a pleasure to see that you know something of our culture," she said as she withdrew her hand and sat down in her chair.
"I have all the normally required information right here," she pointed at her computer screen., swiveling it so that I could see what was listed about myself. "But I also prefer to use my own judgment about people when I hire them for my ship. A computer can tell me who is best for the job, but not who is best suited for the other needs of the ship. Understand?" I said yes, and was relived to note that my erection had disappeared for a time being. "Good.
Before I start asking you any questions I would just like to inform you that these questions are not standard questions and do not have to be answered, and that not answering them will not hamper your chances of getting a position, but giving me the information that I require can only serve to better your odds. Also, please give accurate information when doing so, as I hate to find out about abilities that do not exist," she ended her sentence with a tap of her claws on her desk and looked me straight in my eyes, so that she knew I was paying attention. She didn't have to worry, I was. I needed this job, and I think that she knew that.
Her golden, slitted eyes moved back to a piece of paper that she had brought in with her. "Very well, then… I'll begin. I will note that any information which you tell me will not leave this room unless you so desire it, and if at any time you feel uncomfortable with the questions let me know." I nodded my approval for her to begin, wondering what type of questions she was about to ask me, that she would have to ask about me being uncomfortable. "First…you state that you are 23 years old on your home world. Is that true?" "I am." "Good.
By my calculations you are one of the youngest to leave you home-world for Introduction, are you not?" "Yes, I am,"…which was true, most of the other 100 people being of a older age group between 35-50 years of age. The races that gave the tests thought that the older generation should be given higher considerations as they were thought to have more experience and were therefore more adaptable. "How do you feel about other races?" She still was looking intently at the paper, on occasion marking it with a graphite stick. "Uhmm… Could you be a little more specific with the question please?" I asked. "Ahh… Let's see. How well do you react socially with races other than your own?" "Fine…
I like to think I deal with Populace races a good deal better than my own at times. Socially though, I don't have much of a public life." "Hmm," Valesz etched another mark onto the paper, "Have you had any interests in starting any relations with any member of any race?" "Well, I would like to, but it seems as if no-one is interested in me at the moment." I said, beginning to feel a little warm. "Any race in particular?" Valesz cocked an eye up at me from the paper she was holding. It was conveniently blocking my view of the rest of her face. "No, not really. I'm attracted to several species." I said looking away from her gaze, and staring at a suddenly interesting potted plant.
"What races are those?" I kept my gaze away from hers as I listed of those races which I might be interested in having a relationship with: Wolfen, Deer, Fox, Catian, and I mumbled when I came to the word Dragon. "I'm sorry… I didn't catch that last one. Could you repeat it please?" Valesz had made a mark for each one of the races I had spoken out and was now eying me rather peculiarly. I felt really warm now and knew then that I was blushing. "Dragon," I forced out. "Ah, thought so," and she made another mark. I thought I saw her flash a quick toothy grin, but I might have been mistaken. "What do you specialize in?" A normal question! Great!
"Well, I studied the latest in Ion Drives, repair, circuit and conduit schematics, Thruster repair and a just enough Communications to be able to use a Scanner/Sensor array if I have to, although I can't do repairs on them." "I see. What do you do for entertainment, to enjoy yourself? Any hobbies? I ask this question because IF I hire you, I want to have things on board that you will find amusing, lest you become bored and irritable, and with a crew of 15, irritability makes for unhappy company." She set the paper and graphite stick down lightly and sat quietly for a moment or two, debating what she would say next.
After what seemed like a long period of time, she made up her mind and suddenly pushed a button on her desk and turned her chair so that she could stand up. "On my ship we are all one happy family. What one has, we all share. We have to keep o
Overview Of Populated Space, 2023 · Part 1 (1/2)
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