I twisted the dragon jewel between my fingers, focusing all my attention on it so the noises and the anxiety wouldn't drown me. I just had to play with my jewel and remember what I came here for.
"Nova, you need a job. I know my mom won't say this, but I will; if you're going to live here you have to contribute."
Xander's words stung just a bit. But, he wasn't wrong. He never was. I was forever indebted to the man who saved my life. I would do anything for Xander. Even going to the employment office in search of a job to help support him and his mother.
It was crowded with people. Young and old, of all races and species. All of them broke, desperate, and from the District. Like me.
Well, I wasn't exactly desperate. I'm still eighteen. Still young enough to do anything I wanted and make something, anything of myself. But, as an Umlilo no, I couldn't. I was a foreigner in my own supposed home.375Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcViaq3wfrj
375Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMiCgXrpYy
The posters on the wall mocked me. They were of people smiling with degrees and happy faces. Firm handshakes and orchestrated laughter. It was not promised to anyone here. It was all to inspire lost hope with the unfortunate. What total bullshit!
My other option was going back to school full time. What Xander doesn't know was that they kicked me out months ago. Even if I wanted to go back, I'd have to reregister to a different school. But, I'm 18 now. Legally I don't have to go back to school. I don't want to either. I hated going to school because it was the same treatment as the outside world. Being a lower race almost driven to extinction and having to endure hatred over and over...
It sucks because...I loved to read...I loved to learn. The mythology of my people and other races...it fascinated me. But loving to read won't pay the big univs so I'm stuck here.
"Miss Pyrrhos, please head to desk fourteen." An monotone robot voice came from overhead.
I sat up and smoothed my dress I borrowed from Xander's mom, Litta. It was a simple brown dress she made once. It fit me perfectly after she altered it to fit my flabby body. It was the most professional piece of clothing I own. Unfortunately it didn't go well with my black combat boots.
I tucked the jewel in a pocket and held my head up high. If I'm going to get rejected I may as well have some dignity...or whatever.
I sat at the desk in the uncomfortable chair. It was short and made of cheap plastic. It squeaked on the linoleum floor and was uneven. There was an avian woman sitting on the other side of the desk. She had her hair and feathers piled high abover her hair and mechanical bees flew around it. She had small cat like frames nestled on her thin blue beak. Her talons typed away on her keyboard and her beady bird like eyes focused on the dim holoscreen as she brought up my file.
"Nova...Pyrrhos...that is your full name, correct?" Her voice was nasal and dead like she swallowed sandpaper and jelly toads. She was clearly not getting paid enough to tell people whether or not they deserve a job.
I nodded, "Yeah, not really Umlilo like, but it's pretty much all I have."
The woman, Vaelerin as it was spelled on her nametag, looked at me then back to the screen. It was backwards for me but I could tell it was all the information the government had on me. It also included an unflattering mug shot.
"That picture of me is pretty old. Am I able to take a new photo or--"
"It says here you are...eighteen years old, and you haven't graduated school at all. That will be a bit of a problem."
"Yeah, well, I took too many self care days, if you know what I mean?" I giggled awkwardly.
"But," she continued, "Your scores on some tests...that you have taken...were very high in overall general intelligence."
"Oh hell yeah!" I smiled.
"However,"
"Oh hell no..." I frowned.
"You scored very poorly in social interaction, following procedures and guidelines, and composure in stressful situations."
"Well, I guess having a short fuse is a flaw of mine, but, I can cook and clean and--"
She held up a wing to stop me. "Listen, Miss...Pyrrhos...It's going to be very hard for you to find a proper job anywhere on Neptune, especially someone of...your kind..."
Umlilo...just say it...
"And..." She continued to look over my application, "you barely qualify for government assistance. You're barely good enough to clean up the streets after dark in Triton." She chortled.
I felt for the jewel in my pocket. Her condescending voice was ticking me off. I knew this was a bad idea. I should have never come here. Xander was wrong for once.
It took all my strength to not jump over this desk and strangle this bitch and cook her for dinner tonight. I took a deep breath and smiled sweetly, "Excuse me, but what do you mean someone in my stature?"
She gave a condescending smile, "Well, look at you! You're an Umlilo. Not only that but you practically came from the slums.You're not even a proper adult and there are more qualified people here who need the univs than some girl who barely even tries to make something of herself. And we barely have enough job openings as it is. You're still a child so I recommend going back to school or take some night classes to catch up with the rest of us. But, with a police record like yours, I don't even think you'll make it far. It's very...lengthy."
My blood was boiling, but she continued spewing words from her beak.
"And I know your kind isn't exactly quality job material but you're all better off as farmers anyway. And your HAIR!"
"What. About. My. Hair?" I spoke through clenched teeth.
"I mean seriously! It's completely outrageous. No longer in style and such a sickly color on you. I know someone who manages all hair styles and I bet they could tame it...but I guess you can't afford that either. May I?" She reached out her wing towards me.
"Can you please not touch my hair?"
She ignored my warning and continued inching closer to me.
After that, I don't really remember. One moment, a turkey lookin' bitch was about to touch my hair, the next moment I was being dragged out by security kicking and screaming and had my ass thrown into the street by two guards in Atlantis Official uniforms.
"Let me back in I wasn't done with that fucking ostrich!" I was barely off the ground before the guards pointed their spears at me. The tips were pointy and had electric currents running through it.
I guess the Emperor bumped up security.
"You are not to step foot in this establishment again. This is--" A soldier with deep purple skin and deep set black eyes said.
"Going to be put on my record blah, blah, blah. I know the deal. Look, let me have at least five more minutes...with someone else. I really need a job."
"Not a chance Umlilo. Get your ass back to the slums." The purple one spoke again.
The other one looked at me, but his eyes were almost sad. He was clearly human, with small dark eyes and cool pink skin. He put down his spear and put a hand on the shoulder of the purple one, "Forget it Qovots. I'll take over from here and escort her to the tram."
Qovots hesitated, but huffed and went back into the building. The one that looked sad smiled at me. I held out my wrists knowing the drill by heart. Instead, he held up his hand.
"Don't worry about it."
I blinked, "Huh? But...I assaulted a bird crone? And I almost threatened you and the purple people eater over there. And disturbed the peace, and--"
He chuckled. It was deep and comforting, "Like I said, don't worry about it. Besides, I want to help you."
I stepped back from him, "Help you? How so?"
He held up his hands. "I know how it is...being desperate for a job. I...you remind me of someone I know. And maybe if I help you out, you'll stay out of trouble. How does that sound?"
"That depends...what's the job you have in mind?"
"Nothing special, just some assistant type job for a friend of mine. It isn't hard work, and pays really well."
"Tempting..."
There was a buzzing sound coming from his comm, he frowned. "Fuck...here I'll send you the address, tell him you're a friend of Ptolemy's." He held out his comm bracelet and I held out mine. When he finished he smiled again and left.
The address was one in the red light district...
I didn't want to come back to Xander's empty handed and jobless. So I didn't. That Ptolemy person and his mysterious connections. He didn't seem like he was from anywhere around me. He saw me as human and not some trash on the ground he stepped on. Maybe he was from Earth. 375Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb7o4VUhxB
Walking back the suns set and made the sky bleed into warming colors. Earth seemed lightyears away, so distant and unnatural. To think people could come from somewhere else and not know how things work...and still be so kind. I would like to visit Earth one day, and journey to all the places and collect their stories. 375Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkucfX5pYd
Finally making it home I stepped inside. The house was dark and quiet.375Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcW4EcIIHd
"Ms. Litta? Xander? I'm ho--"375Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKvs7daHuO
"Surprise!" They both popped up from the kitchen, holding a star shaped cake that was sloppily frosted, on top was written "Congratulations".
"But, I..."
"Xander told me. I'm so proud of you, Nova, no matter what. Did you get a job? I know how hard it is but..." Her sweet voice drowned out as I watched Litta continue on. Her face was wrinkled and aging. Chopped, black hair graying by the roots as well as a small smile with laugh lines framing it perfectly. She and Xander had the same eyes, but hers were noticeably older in comparison. I couldn't tell her what really happened. I could never break Litta's heart for she was the kindest soul in all of Atlantis. No, Oasis. I didn't want to let her down.
I fidgeted a bit avoiding looking at her, "I...got a recommendation...if that helps."
She beamed and gave the cake to Xander so she could run over and hug me. She was a few inches shorter than me but she gave such nice hugs. I hugged her back and saw Xander frowning at me. I smiled meekly and shrugged.
"Ma, Nova, let's have some cake, yeah? To celebrate."
Litta let go still beaming, tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "Yes, let's! Gosh I'm so proud of my daughter!"
I wasn't her daughter, but she always treated me as such.
After a long moment of Litta being excited and all three of us eating cake, Litta had to leave for work. She was a nurse in one of the few hospitals in the District. Her hours were long and sometimes she'd go days without coming back. Xander doesn't show it but he worries so much about her and his greatest fear is that she won't come home. But, Litta's a strong woman she can handle it.
It was just Xander and I left alone in the fluorescent blanketed kitchen. I picked at the plastic on the table with the nubs of my fingers, not wanting to look at Xander's disappointed face.
"Nova, you didn't get a job did you?" His voice was cold.
"Technically, I didn't..." I pulled a large hunk of plastic and flicked it onto the floor.
"You're cleaning that up. Fuckin' hell, Nova! You lied! And to her face."
"I said technically! Like c'mon you both know it was gonna take a miracle from the stars to even get hired as a street cleaner!"
"You could have still tried! Instead of being on your lazy ass, why don't you contribute or, I don't know, go back to school!"
"Xander..."375Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzBVjqk5a4
"Oh wait, I know you can't. You want to know what I found in the trash today? Luckily I found it before my own mother did." He held up a piece of paper. It had the school insignia on it. It was lengthy I could tell.
"Xander, you know--"
"No, Nova, I don't know. You're being an absolute freeloader. You don't contribute, and when you do you make up excuses! God you fuckin'--"
"I'm getting a job in the red light district OK!" I screamed cutting him off. The lights in the kitchen flickered a bit.
That stopped him in his tracks completely. He shook his head and continued. "Stars above, Nova are you--"
"No, no, no...well...I don't know. I got recommended by one of the royal guards...a friend can help me. And he was kind and maybe...maybe it's a great job who knows. If not I'll kick ass and run back."
Xander rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath. "You're my best friend, Nova...I just...want what's best for you OK? Promise me it's nothing seedy. And if it is just don't do it."
I nodded smiling. The jewel in my pocket felt warm.
ns 15.158.61.7da2
