Untameable Earth

Second of Three

Ariana and Harley Cable-Mitchel still sat in the New York contribution assessment centre. Still.

They'd arrived when the doors opened at eight am but now after six hours of waiting, Ariana, the more pliant twin was also fast losing her patience with the secretary behind the glass and marble counter. And god knew her dark haired twin had reached combustion levels five hours ago. Prissy over made up bitch. How difficult was it to understand that they were twins and would submit to testing as one unit?

'Ariana and Harley Cable-Mitchel, please come to the reception desk,'

'Finally!' Harley huffed.

As they walked up to the woman for the second time, it was clear that she was still irritated by their insistence to be treated as a single contribution,

'Identification, please, ladies,' the receptionist was stiff and her voice had dripped venom as she glided over the word 'ladies'. Both Ariana and Harley gave her a bored expression as they pushed their blue American passports through the window in the glass.

The receptionist's name tag stated she was called Vina. Vina smiled at them both falsely while she nearly snatched up the passports from the counter.

She jerkily flashed the first passport she'd touched under the expensive scanner that was attached to her slick new laptop, while lowly requesting for Ariana to smile into a camera sat on the shelf. Once the ping of recognition came through, Vina hastily repeated the process for Harley. Within three uncomfortable minutes - for her - she thrust the newly printed 'potential contribution' badges enclosed in their UWC lanyards back through the window to the twins,

'I have been instructed to apologise for the delay,' It was crystal clear she'd rather instruct them both to drop dead,

'It required time to restructure the assessment facilities for two to be assessed as one contribution,' again she gave them the strained smile that clearly communicated her dislike of the twins messing up her perfectly uniform day with their outlandish requirements.

Harley obviously rolled her eyes at the woman while Ariana kept her amusement to herself as she watched Vina gripping the marble countertop until her knuckles were taunt and white controlling the temper that Harley was deliberately poking at,

'Please sign here that you've received your passes and accept the conditions of volunteering as a contribution,' the tip of her fingernail tapped hard by the lines in the registration book on the shelf, making the book lurch upwards. Both twins signed the log,

'I will be keeping your passports. In the unlikely event you are unable to be matched, I will return it to you on your departure. However, in the expected case that you are matched, your passports will be destroyed, as you will be renouncing your American citizenship and Earthling association to become a citizen of the planet or fighting unit to which you are matched,' Neither twin batted an eyelash. They could go wherever they wanted, citizenships were irrelevant to them,

'If you have no questions, please report to the fifth floor assessment area, room 511 where one of my colleagues will walk you through the process for the four assessments to establish your contribution classification. You will then go through a medical and mental examination before you experience the four assessments to match you. We all hope you will be very happy in your assignment,'

Again with the constipated smile and gritted teeth as she expressed her hope for their future happiness. Ariana prayed her sister would let this go and behave. Harley stopped and gave the receptionist a big toothy smile as she opened her mouth. Of course not...

'And we hope your day is full of new and challenging potential contributions... just. like. us.'

The receptionist was puce with anger which she was clearly prohibited from letting lose as Harley flicked her badge and sauntered off with a swagger,