I end the connection. “As of this moment, consider yourself on notice of pending disciplinary action. We will still be having our meeting when I return from leave. Go relieve him.Now.”
The Shalfin scrambles to comply.
I walk to my terminal, unlock my UI, and type in notes, as well as flag all of these conversations for preservation in the record.
This is completely unacceptable behavior on La’loorn’s part, but at least I now have enough that I can terminate him if I so choose. I will give him one more chance, however, because it means less aggravation for myself in the long run.
When Fullstein arrives minutes later, I quickly fill him in, as well as play the conversation I just had with La’loorn for him. “I trust you can call in Bob and Bakely and order them to report for duty? Or do I need to do it?”
The Onyx nods. “Absolutely, I will do it.”
“Excellent.” I make the personnel notations, remove La’loorn’s management permissions, and install Fullstein’s before locking my terminal again. “I am going to resume the rest of my leave. Please prepare a full status report before my return in three days. If La’loorn gives you additional trouble, or if Bob or Bakely refuse to obey you, contact me immediately. I will help you create the next work period schedule the morning of my return, following my disciplinary review with La’loorn. I will also expect you to attend that meeting, so please make sure we have complete personnel coverage during that time. Starting at 0800, and then for at least two hours after. Adjust as necessary, including overtime for someone, if required.”
He nods again. “I will.”
“Thank you.” I leave, feeling angry and unsettled that my peace was so rudely, selfishly, and needlessly disturbed.
Unacceptable.
I would gladly promote one of my fellow Pfahrn to the role, except none of phem have the seniority or experience of Fullstein. But I also have never had any issues with the Onyx, either. Fullstein is approximately four feet shorter than me. With bushy black and grey hair that sticks out from his head, pale grey skin, and six fingers on each hand, he also possesses a prehensile tail that is a callback to the Onyx’s early ancestors in much the way that Pfahrn still possess thick, armor-like skin across our backs and shoulders.
Instead of immediately returning to my quarters, I opt to take the lift down to the level where I can access the walk around the outer rim of the widest section of the hub. We are about to pass into nightside, and there are plentiful viewports all along that scenic section of hub from which I can view Pfahrn.
I stare down at my planet. I could try to find a job down there, but the salary would be much poorer given my status, education, and work experience.
I take a deep breath and study the darkness broken by very few lights twinkling up from the dark surface. This is not the side of the planet I am from, but it is as equally beautiful as my own lands.
While I have never travelled farther from my home than this space station, in my spare time I frequently watch vids of other worlds. I know that, compared to others, Pfahrn is a much more natural planet than many. We have technology comparable to that on other worlds, but we have yet to exploit it at the expense of our planet’s health, despite a small but vocal cadre of wealthy mining rights owners who wish to exploit our natural resources. Thus, at night, you can usually look to the heavens from the surface of Pfahrn and see a spread of stars across the sky and not a glow of lights. Only in some of our largest cities can lights be spotted from my current vantage.
Our species does not reproduce very quickly, just enough to maintain our populations. We are selective about that, and due to our physiology, accidental births simply are not possible, unlike some species, like humans or Shalfin.
Not every member of our species will reproduce. In fact, at last report, less than half of our kind ever have even one offspring. My parents are the exception, but both of phem were only children, and phey have stated phey will not sire any more offspring.
Two of my siblings, Dholartin and Olartmin, the two youngest, have both said phey do not wish to have offspring. Colarmin, like myself, does not wish to have any offspring if phey are unmated. That leaves a chance we might never have any.
My parents have already told me if I want to invest in the services of a matchmaker, that I should do so, because phey wish for my happiness.
But I do not want to take that money from my family. Not right now. Perhaps if I am still alone in many years, I might decide to pursue that path.
Then I would likely be past the point of fertility being an issue for me, anyway.
After taking a few more long, deep breaths to try to regain some of my departed equilibrium, I finally continue my journey back to my apartment.
I wish that I was not already counting down the days until I can next return to Pfahrn.
Chapter Three
Davies
I was going to head aboard the space station shortly after we were securely docked, but then Captain Xhogrhan shows up on the bridge to check our status, we start talking about the comms upgrades, and…
Yeah.
Before I know it, I’ve agreed to hang out on the ship until tomorrow to talk to the techs before they begin the comms system retrofit process.
Davies McKellan, you’re too damned nice.
I’ll still have over two weeks here, probably three, and maybe even four, depending on how the retrofit goes, the load process, the schedule set for us by MC, all of that.
