Chapter 2
?rim
?rim didn’t know how to swim. His silicate body had no buoyancy, so instead of leaving his home during the rains and taking a chance in the provided skiff, he hunkered down inside for weeks.
Perhaps the Empire was laughing at him. A teosian willingly choosing to leave Teos?
To come to a backwater IA colony of all places?
It was unheard of. But unheard of was exactly what he had been after.
Even the IA hadn’t known what to do with him.
He was the first teosian to register as a colonist. Their machines had struggled to give him a chip implant, so eventually, he’d chiseled out a section of his own wrist so the machine could gain access to his softer underlayer.
But he intended to see it through at least until he had something to show for himself.
Now the downpour had ended, he was supposed to go meet the administrative and security heads of Laurus for a new resident orientation. Mostly, he suspected the others wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to be a detriment to their quaint little community.
Two standard weeks alone waiting out the rain had given him ample time to ruminate about the circumstances around his exodus from Teos.
If there was any justice in the universe, Sini and Brem would have also been ousted from their positions.
But he was the primary investigator. It was his name on all the funding.
His responsibility. His tarnished reputation when Brem had gone running with claims of misconduct over a few questionable simulations that harmed no one. No one real anyway.
?rim disembarked from his skiff in front of the raised building that served both as the town’s administrative office and the jail. Cold floodwater didn’t bother him, but he’d rather not get his clothing wet.
After tying the skiff to a docking post, he prepared himself to come across as competent and unobtrusive.
They’d hired him to serve as their new educator, but really, he was here to covertly work on his projects.
Just until he had a breakthrough. Then he’d pay the credits to dissolve his IA contract and go back to Teos triumphant with no further doubt about his merit status.
Two males were waiting for him when he got inside: the kyrot he’d met upon his arrival with his massive wingspan and dark fur and a surly, scaly latil’e. Both species he’d never encountered before leaving Teos.
“I have never seen a person made of stone before.” The latil’e peered at him with suspicion, tail curling up toward his spine.
“Crystal, actually. We have a silicate crystalline structure for our bodies.” ?rim shifted the placement of his eyestones to try and see them both more clearly. The room was filled with bright artificial light, which was a struggle for his dark-adjusted eyes.
“Now, is that any way to greet our new educator? This is ?rim o’ Alae. Hope I’m saying it right. He’s teosian. I’m Pyo. We’ve met. And this grouchy male is S’samph. He’s our head of security.”
S’samph’s neck frill rippled. “You will be responsible for our younglings. It is an important role.”
“I’m a level two educator. I’m licensed to teach all levels of Alliance curriculum up to the first year of higher education.
” ?rim wasn’t sure why his qualifications were being called into question.
He had already undergone an extensive IA screening.
He had no criminal record. His exam scores were flawless.
“But you are a bioengineer.” The latil’e placed a hand flat on the worktable. “Why is a bioengineer from a non-consortium planet here in Laurus as an educator?”
“We were lucky to get any applicants, S’samph.
I would encourage you not to scare him off.
” The kyrot male’s wingtips came together over his shoulder blades.
?rim was also starting to feel the weight of anxiety which made him rub absently at his wrist nodes.
He didn’t have anything to hide. Not anything a security chief would care about anyway.
“I am doing my job, Pyo.”
“It’s a valid question.” ?rim tried to keep his tone level.
“I lost my position at the research institute on Teos, so I decided it was time to leave. I am not permitted to employ my skills as a bioengineer off planet, but my educator’s license is universally recognized. I needed a job. Laurus had a job.”
S’samph’s frill lowered. “I find this answer acceptable.”
“Don’t let him scare you off. He means well, he’s just, well he’s just latil’e.”
?rim tapped his elbow affirmatively as if he had any sense of what it meant to be a latil’e.
He had never even met a latil’e until he’d gone through the IA intake.
Although he was active on intelewave forums and had knowledge of their planet’s collapse, it was very different to meet another species in person.
“I will do my best to teach your younglings.”
“And that’s all we’re asking for. Keep them in line. Teach them a thing or two. You’ll fit in just fine here. We’re a friendly bunch for the most part. Now, do you have any questions for us?” Pyo rubbed his snout with the back of one of his clawed hands.
“Nothing I can think of in this moment. Can I have some time to compile a list?”
“Uh, sure, why not? Come by any time if you have questions. I’m usually here, and S’samph is around the town or sometimes in his office.”
“Do not come into my office unless it is important. That is where I work. Sometimes my mate visits, and I do not wish for her to be disturbed.”
“I see.” ?rim did not see. He realized there was much more to the social dynamics of a small town with different species cohabitating than there was on a planet with only one dominant lifeform and culture. On Teos he knew how to maneuver, or he thought he did.