Welcome to the Galactic Shoppers Network by Ian Rodgers

Author:Ian Rodgers [Rodgers, Ian]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2017-06-19T04:00:00+00:00

“I know that look, Taraki. What’s happened now?” the chairman of Crown Corporation asked as his insectoid aide entered his office.

“Chairman Aunlood, I have some news about Droid 77 and our progress through the Central Bureaucracy.”

“Good or bad?”

“I suppose it would depend on your definition of the terms ‘good news’ and ‘bad news,’” the Hixi said slowly.

Aunlood grimaced before closing down his data terminal. Signing documents could wait. “So bad, then. Alright, lay it on me.”

“We have finally gotten the ‘go-ahead’ to trace Droid 77’s signal.”

“At last! So, where is it? Fringes of nowhere? Or, knowing the luck we’ve had with this mess so far, an Isolationist Enclave territory?”

“No sir. It came from the Reyuda System, past the Kalam Relay. Home to a Class C species as of last census sixteen GS years ago.” In any other circumstance seeing the green feathers on the chairman turn black with shock and fear would have been hilarious. As it stood, Taraki sympathized and was just glad he had gotten this info first and had avoided venting his fear pheromones in front of his boss.

“No. no no no. Ha, that was a funny joke, Tar. Seriously, where is it? A world along our border with the Hegemony?” Aunlood gasped desperately.

“Third planet of the Reyuda System. Home to a Class C species of life.”

“WHY IN THE NAME OF THE SPIRITS AND THE IALS DID IT TAKE SO LONG TO FIND THIS OUT?!” Aunlood roared, slamming his fists onto his desk with such force that the reinforced surface cracked.

“Besides the usual bureaucratic inefficiency? The droid has technically been doing its job so we couldn’t issue a recall or justify an emergency trace,” the aide explained. Only years of training had prevented the insect-like being from jumping away from the outburst in shock.

“You’re saying that whoever or whatever possesses Drone 77 has been ‘shopping?’ That someone or something has been filling out all the required customer surveys and feedback reports? Thus insuring under own snarga-sniffing regulations it was safe from immediate sanctions?” Aunlood demanded, his tone turning deathly calm.

Taraki clacked his mandibles while his antenna waved wildly. “Yes.”

“You have exactly eight seconds to give me some good news, such as informing me that a retrieval squad is already on route to Reyda, or some bad news that will make what you just told me shrivel into insignificance.”

“The Chairperson-Elect has found out about our wayward product and wishes to speak with you. She’s already scheduled a meeting for next week.”

An interesting fact about the Ranga, Chairman Aunlood’s species, is that they possess very unique feathers which are capable of changing color to reflect mood, state of mind, and physical wellness.

In extreme situations of fear or danger their feathers turn black. In primitive times this helped them blend into the night on their home world and hide. In even rarer cases of mortal terror or life threatening danger their feathers would turn so black they completely swallowed up light. And with a touch of psychic power, it allowed the Ranga to become invisible.

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