The first was a small woman, the top of her head barely reaching my chest, with silver-streaked dark hair that swung around her face. She wore practical clothing—trousers, boots, a vest with multiple pockets—but carried herself with the kind of authority that didn't need decoration. Her eyes swept over the refugees with the practiced assessment of someone who'd done this many times before.
"I'm Mayor Mei Lin Jun," she said, her voice carrying clearly despite her size. "Welcome to Tau Ceti."
The second figure was male, stocky and muscular, a foot shorter than me, which still made him tall for a human, with dark blonde hair and a short beard that was going gray at the edges. He wore a badge on his chest and possessed a relaxed readiness.
"Craig Munroe," he said, nodding to me before addressing the group. "I'm the peacekeeper here. We'll get you all processed and settled. Medical examinations first, then housing assignments."
His eyes lingered on Peanut for a moment, something like recognition flickering across his face. Not recognition of the person, but of the damage.
Mei Lin was already organizing the refugees into a loose line, her movements efficient and practiced. "We have food waiting, and clean clothes. Hot showers. Real beds." She paused, letting that sink in. "You're safe now. You're home."
More sobbing. More laughter. One of the men dropped to his knees and kissed the ground.
Munroe caught my eye and jerked his head toward the side of the landing pad. I followed him a few paces away from the group, letting Mei Lin handle the emotional introduction to their new world.
"Cristox," he said, extending his hand.
I took it, surprised by the strength of his grip. "Peacekeeper."
"Any issues with the transport?"
"Debris strike scared them. Otherwise, smooth." I paused, then nodded to where Charlene and Peanut stood among the rest. "The male, Peanut, suffered severe neural damage on Theta-9."
Munroe's expression darkened. "The Garoot Healer couldn't help?"
"We tried when we got them aboard the Historia. It didn't work. According to our healer, the injury was too old, the nerve endings too degraded to rebuild."
"That's a shame." Regret twisted his expression. "We'll do what we can for him here."
I nodded. That was all anyone could do.
Charlene appeared at my elbow, her fingers wrapping around my forearm with false familiarity. "Captain Cristox, sugar, I just heard from the mayor that they're puttin' us all in some kind of dormitory situation." Her lower lip pushed out in what I assumed was meant to be an appealing pout. "Now, I was thinkin'—and you tell me if I'm overstepping—but wouldn't it be better for Peanut and me to stay somewhere more... private? Somewhere quiet? Maybe we could stay with you. Peanut doesn't do well with crowds, and I'd feel so much safer with someone strong like yourself nearby."
I opened my mouth to deliver what would have been a firm but polite refusal when a vision of blonde curls and a floral dress materialized beside us.
"Honey child," the woman said, her voice warm as butter and twice as smooth, "you come right along with me now." She slipped her arm through Charlene's and began gently but inexorably steering her away from me. "I'm Lula. I promise, we're gonna get you and your brother set up real nice. The dormitories are just temporary, sweetheart, just until we can assess everyone's skills and preferences. Then you'll get your own little cottage."
Charlene tried to look back at me, but Lula kept her moving with the kind of cheerful determination that was impossible to resist.
Glancing back over her shoulder, Lula caught my eye and winked.
Thank you, I mouthed.
She smiled, the expression knowing and kind, and guided Charlene back toward the group where Mei Lin was organizing everyone for their assignments.
Munroe chuckled, watching Lula work her magic. "That woman could redirect a charging Korthax with nothing but charm and a smile."
"Remind me to send her a case of whatever she drinks," I snorted with amusement.
"She'll take you up on that." He turned back to me, his expression shifting to something more friendly. "You staying long? We've got the grand opening of the Space Pearl franchise in a couple of weeks. First one on Tau Ceti."
I blinked. "Space Pearls? Here?" The restaurant franchise opened by an abducted human chef and her mate had locations all across Alliance space.
"Yeah." He grinned. "We're all pretty excited about it."
Space Pearls. I'd been to exactly three of their locations. The food was decent—a menu that touted itself as a blend of human and alien cuisine. But the humans aboard the Historia went absolutely feral for the stuff. Captain Adtovar once diverted our route by four hours so the crew could visit a location in the Dendara system.
"When did you say? Two weeks?"
