Skylar Holmes: The Last Hope

6. WE DO CASUAL TOO

THE CAPTAIN'S UPPER body, standing on the Bridge beside her Bridge chair, appeared on a video feed window on the bottom right-hand corner of Skylar's computer pad touch screen.

"Flight Officer Zingbar, report please," said Captain Martha Rosberg.

"On schedule on flight plan Z86 to F33," said Flight Officer Zingbar. The video feed window on the bottom left-hand corner of Skylar's computer pad touch screen showed the flight officer's head and shoulders.

"That's obviously a flight plan from Zetum to the Faraway," put in Skylar quickly. "It's the Z for Zetum and the F for Faraway that give it away."

"How are the twelve guests, Zingbar?" continued Captain Rosberg.

"Fine, Captain. They're sitting in the standard shuttlecraft seats. We didn't have to make any special accommodating travelling arrangements. They're human-like to such an extent, despite being three different species from three different galaxies, that we thought they might somehow be shapeshifters like that Piron character bonded to Skylar Holmes. But of course they can't be, can they?"

"Definitely not. There are no shapeshifters among them according to their meeting request application data. Furthermore, I cannot believe the Girol Coalition would forward erroneous application data, particularly as they are considering joining the Intergalactic Alliance. They are definitely as trustworthy as we are. Just how human-like are they, Zingbar?"

"Very. Though on closer inspection, the human-like appearance breaks down a tiny bit on two of the species. One of these has light-blue skin. The other, green. But amazingly, the third species, a dark-skinned race of aliens, look indistinguishable from humans. Impossible you might think; but incredibly, they do. Moreover, Captain, all three species speak perfect English. Better than mine, at any rate."

"Are you saying they are not even employing language translators?"

"Affirmative on that. I guess their throats, or whatever organs they have in place of them, can make human sounds. Captain, I feel uncomfortable talking about them with them sitting right behind me. They're not in spacesuits or anything. They breathe in oxygen and nitrogen just as we do. And they are completely clear of contaminants, viruses, and the like. I guess all of these factors probably explain why they were chosen to represent their Girol Coalition. Oh yeah, and they're all female, as expected—or at least they appear to be."

"Flight Officer Zingbar," said a silkily spoken female voice off camera from behind the flight officer, "No need to feel uncomfortable. We of the Girol Coalition are experienced ambassadors. We can be casual when outside meetings. Let your shuttlecraft's mobile camera show our images to your starship bridge. Let all who see us determine how human-like we appear. That should help break the ice, as you humans sometimes say. And it should make the Faraway crew feel more relaxed about us. We're certainly not the monsters your children imagine under their beds. Is that all right with you, Captain Rosberg?"

"Sure is, ma'am," said Captain Rosberg. "We do casual too. Sorry if I spoke about you candidly as I was unaware of your close proximity to Flight Officer Zingbar."

"Don't mention it, Captain Rosberg. It all adds to breaking the ice and improves on the trust between us. Obviously Flight Officer Zingbar was aware of this. And he must have realised we and you wouldn't mind."

"We got a mention from Flight Officer Zingbar, Skylar," put in Piron, looking pleased with himself.

"And that is unfortunate for us."

"Why?"

"Because we don't want ourselves in the minds of the aliens."

"But why, Skylar?"