Horizon Seeds (Complete)

Chapter Four

Headline: SPENCER CAUGHT RED-HANDED, CLAIMS INNOCENCE
Headline: ALIENS IN AUSTRALIA HELD FOR DEPORTATION
Headline: LOCAL OUTLAWS CRY FOR INDEPENDENCE
Headline: CHINESE DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCE
Headline: CHILEAN CORAL REEF REGROWTH A SUCCESS

Working as a cop down town and getting called into the boss' office wasn't an uncommon occurrence, but working for the Bureau of Alien Affairs and being called into the bosses office caused Valerie some concern. Before she left for the afternoon meeting, Valerie popped into Five's lab, said good afternoon to Gary and Mo his Othshali'i body guards, and let her client know she was heading into the city central for a few hours.

With Sergeant Chan taking over her midday duties she was free drive down town in their shared squad car. Thanks to Chan's lack of foresight, she had to stop at a charging station for 10 minutes to recharge the electric cell in the car. She ended up arriving five minutes later than she planned and was a little flustered by the time she reached the Senior Sergeant's reception, but looking at her, you wouldn't know it. Cool, calm, always ready to serve, Constable Valerie Terrance was the picture of professionalism. She smoothed a loose strand of her golden, brown hair back into its low ponytail and ran her hands down her uniform and straightened her tie. She'd left her kevlar vest in the car, preferring to see her boss without the cumbersome piece of uniform restricting her movement or comfort. The tie wasn't needed, but she threw it on during the lift ride up from the basement car park.

'Senior Sergeant Falcron will see you now.' His secretary was a younger man that Valerie had worked with briefly when she first joined the joint task force that became the Bureau of Alien Affairs. She nodded at him and removed her hat as she moved into her bosses office. As the head of the mega-city's policing force, Falcron spent more time at his desk than anywhere else, and it showed. Stacks of files scattered across his desk in a pattern that only the senior officer would understand. Two genuine wooden chairs sat before his large glass top desk and bookshelves flanked each side of the room housing real antique books. Digital frames hung on wall spaces, picturing images of Falcron shaking hands with important people.

The windows behind her boss viewed the city scape from the 16th floor, showing most of down town and the industrial district near Frankton. She perused the view while she waited for her boss to finish what he was working on and acknowledge her. It was always this way when she arrived in his office and seemed to her some sort of psychological chest beating action that let her know who was the boss. She almost rolled her eyes.

'One moment, Constable Terrance.' He held us a finger while he finished his reading. She did roll her eyes at this, but only because she knew he couldn't see her face. It was another few minutes of watching the city skyline, standing at parade rest with her hat in her hands, and Valerie was content to wait. If she was in trouble, he'd already be yelling at her. Falcron finally shuffled pages around and closed the file he was working on then looked up at her.

'I don't supposed you know why I've called you in, today, Terrance?' She shook her head and pinched her hand before she gave him an eye roll to his face.

'No, Sir,' she acknowledged.

'I've been asked to send someone to deal with political unrest in Kauaeranga Valley Community.' Her stomach dropped as she realised what this whole business was about. The look on Falcron's face showed he was serious. 'Thames, as YOU know, isn't large enough these days to warrant a big police force, and with the loggers and the farmhands already causing enough trouble, they don't have anyone to spare.' He paused to look her in the eye. She looked down to the floor before her, knowing what he was already about to demand of her and it was something she was loath to do.

'I'm sending you to the Kauaeranga Valley because someone got it into their heads that they are above the law of the land and can declare themselves an independent colony of the Othshali'i alien race.'