"First Contact" 
by: Tamysan


Sierra Browning, lieutenant in the CTW Fleet, late of the
Fleetship, "Perserverance" was not a happy camper at the moment,
for basically she had been shanghaied by her fellow crewmate,
Lt.- Commander Cameron LaGrange.

Sierra was of old Teran stock - specifically from Earth and not
from any colony. She was the product of good genes and good
breeding. She was petite, athletic, and pretty to look at,
although she never made a big deal out of it. Sierra's red-brown
hair was wavy and thick, although it was always in the regulation
bun. Her green eyes were beautiful to look at although they were
often preoccupied with business and not pleasure. Many people
were often deceived by her looks, thinking her to be a pushover.
But Sierra was certainly not that. She worked hard and by all
accounts by the people she worked with, was a workaholic. 

She often stayed beyond her duty hours and had racked quite a bit
of leave. Sierra was serious about her duties and her career. She
believed that everyone had a job to do and she made sure she did
hers well. 

Although she was all these things, she was also compassionate and
believed in the inherirent goodness in all people and races. She
believed that peace could be achieved even among the different
alien races. Wasn't that was the Commonwealth was here for?
Sierra was soft-hearted and idealistic under the hard shell she
seemed to carry. Peace was her mission.

However in all that, she had neglected her own well being and had
forgotten how to simply be herself and play..

This was the reason for her 'abduction'  by her commanding
officer and old friend, Cam.

Cam was an excellent officer but to look at him, one had to
wonder just HOW he had rose in the ranks as he did. He always
looked casual, even in uniform, and he was quite popular with
subordinates and superiors alike. He was the opposite of Sierra -
tall and blond, his hair barely regulation cut. His grey eyes
were often amused, as if he were enjoying some secret joke.

But he was an excellent officer who knew when to be serious when
it was needed. Cam was a leader and he was often innovative in a
tight spot. Scuttle had it that he had turned down a promotion
because it would mean leaving the "Preserverance." Some said it
was because he knew he couldn't take the pressure and others said
that he just didn't give a damn about kissing the higher-ups
tailfeathers.

What they didn't know was that he turned it down because of
Sierra..

They had been lovers briefly in O school (slang for Officer's
Training) and their meeting had been by chance. They became
friends despite their personality differences, and then they
became lovers briefly. When their assignments came, they were
assigned to different ships, and so they mutually ended the
relationship. When they wound up together on the "Preserverance",
both Cam and Sierra were secretly pleased, although they did not
pick up where they had left off. Instead they settled for a
amicable working relationship and left it at that.

At the moment, Sierra was NOT feeling very amicable. In fact, she
was rather put out. Cam had no right, no business taking her off
the Perserve. She fumed in silence as the ship Cam was piloting
cleared dock.

"You're pouting.." Cam said, slightly amused. 

"I am NOT.." Sierra said, glaring at his back. "And my rank is
Lieutenant if you don't mind, Lt. - Commander.." 

Cam laughed. "And might I add that we are both OFF-duty, off-ship
and you ARE pouting. I can tell." 

"Humph!" Sierra crossed her arms sullenly. "You had NO right to
do this."

"I did too. Come up here. I'm going to get a crick in my neck
talking to you back there."

"I hope you do." Sierra said. 

"Ahem. I CAN make that an order.." Cam smirked.

"You said we were off-duty!" Sierra said exasperated.

"Well, I AM your commanding officer so I can pull rank at
anytime."

Sierra unstrapped herself and got up to sit in the copilot's
chair. 

"There. Happy?" Sierra crossed her arms again.

"Now take a deep breath and RELAX." Cam smiled at her. 

"I AM relaxed." Sierra said. 

"Ha! When was the last time you took R & R?" Cam asked.

"I went on R & R a few months ago." 

"Conferences DON'T count." Cam eased up on the controls of the
small ship. "Now come on. When did you go?" 

"I - don't know. I went though. I had a wonderful time!" 

"Uh huh. So wonderful you can't remember it. Well, for just a few
hours, you're not going to be Lt. Browning of the Tin Can
Perserve, but just Sierra Browning, human being."

"Oh, so now you're saying I'm not human?" Sierra's voice scaled
up a notch. Cam could see that she was in a mood to quarrel,
meaning that she was truly burned out as he thought.

"No, you ARE human, Sierra, just not a machine. You drive
yourself too hard." 

Sierra sagged in the chair a little, knowing that he was right.
She just felt so guilty when she wasn't working. 

"Ah, here we are. Coming up on it. Surprised they haven't torn
the place down.." Cam grinned. 

"Just WHERE are you taking me?" Sierra asked. 

"You'll see.." Cam gave her a smile and would say nothing more.
Sierra didn't know if she should be annoyed or charmed..

*****

Sol's place was a bit rundown, but in it's heyday, it had been a
pretty jumping joint. Situated on what had once been an orbital
pleasure drome, Sol's had been a glittery paradise, remenicent of
old Las Vegas. Beautiful women and men frequented the place and
all without losing too much money in the bargain.

But as with all things, decay had set in and in recent years
since Sol's death, it had become run down but still made a decent
business selling third rate alcohol. The garage mech they had did
a decent job fixing up the stray ships that had the misfortune of
stopping by, so they made a decent living. They even had a girl
come in every once in awhile to entertain the half-soused
merchants. Jiggling Judy, they called her, for obvious reasons.

It was the quiet of the late afternoon when the drunks were just
gettling down into their usual routine of nightly alcohol
poisoning when the four men came in the door, letting in the
natural light.

They were Drules of the Imperium Empire, a vast collective of
planets under Drule jurisdiction. This included of course their
homeworld, which was many light years from this particular place.
They spoke Galran, which was their native tongue, although they
could speak Standard, which had been the universal language for
most species for centuries. The Drules had adopted Standard as a
means of securing trade with the various other sentient species.
Galran and it's various dialects, however was considered the true
and noble language. Many of the upper class spoke nothing but
Galran, disdaining the Standard except when absolutely necessary. 

The Imperium had developed over many centuries and at present
it's system was a feudal one, although they had mastered space
travel centuries before. Their political system was a labyrinth
of intrigue, favors, and assasinations. Despite this they did
thrive as a people and were now reaching beyond their borders in
exploration and science. The Imperium also took note of the
various races they came across and simply filed the knowledge
that they gathered for future reference. 

Their relations with the Terans were cool and amicable, with
neither side actively seeking the other out.  Suspicion and
distrust of the other, however, was there. 

As it was, the Imperium watched the advance of the Teran
Commonwealth with a careful eye. They would not interfere, only
watch - for now.

"Look at this dump. ." Sulah's dark blue eyes adjusted to the
darkness of the humble establishment.  

Sulah Su'freyshen was the leader of this particular group of
regular Imperium officers, although they were not in uniform.
Sulah was the very model of what a Drule warrior was - 7 foot
tall, muscular, his skin an even shade of azure. His hair and
eyes however were very rare amongst the Galran Drule, for his
hair was ebony black and his cat-like eyes were of a dark shade
of blue bordering on purple. 

The other three - P'teng Dao, Lao of Kerro and Garo Zirth were
simply regular officers with no ambition to their credit, saving
staying out of trouble and collecting the once in a while bribe.
They were of the usual Drule coloring and height, ranging from 6
foot 4 to 6 foot 9. Their builds varied from sinewy to stocky and
all had the trademark white hair and gold felinoid eyes save for
Zirth, whose eyes were the red of the Drule subspeies, Galvesh. 

"Eh, YOU look at it.." P'teng, his second in command said. "As
long as there's ale and a pretty wench to look at, I won't mind
the looks of it a bit."

"Doesn't look like any wenches here." Lao said disappointedly.

"Unless you count the old hag in the corner.." Garo Zirth
snickered. 

"Hey, I didn't know your mother was so ugly, Zirth!" Lao
chortled.

"Shut up unless you'd like your tongue removed.." Zirth's hand
was at his b'akabua sword.

Sulah smirked, "It is nothing that a few tankards of ale wouldn't
cure.."

His men chuckled. Sulah was one to watch out for aboard ship, but
he knew how to ease up too. He knew that they needed to blow off
steam. 

Still, the place could have been much better than this..

They sat down and ordered some ale - or in the case of this
place, the least poisonous of toxins. The barkeep, a nervous
half-Teran midget named Buck Loo, quickly hustled up their
drinks. He had Drules in here before and these looked to be a
rowdy lot. 

Oh well, hopefully, they'd drink a little and then be on their
merry way. Buck did NOT want to be wiping up blood off the floor,
that was for sure. He quickly got their drinks and set them down
on the table enduring the short jokes.

Still they were a bit bored - slightly. What a dive this was,
without any sort of entertainment. When Buck came within distance
of their table, P'teng, impatient grabbed him by the collar and
jerked him up. 

"Where are the women?" He asked in accented Standard. 

"Uh - we had one but she quit." Buck trailed off. 

Lao smirked. "Figures - a place like this.."

P'teng jerked at Buck's collar again. 

"You got gambling?" P'teng asked hopefully.

"They probably gamble on who will win the dungbug races.." Lao
looked sideways at Zirth who glared at him. 

"Um, nooo..we had some machines, but we got busted by the
Intergalactic and - " 

P'teng growled and threw Buck backwards in disgust. Buck fell
over his own feet in terror. These guys were not to be messed
with. 

"Maybe we can target practice with HIM!" Zirth grinned and
fingered the long ch'au knife that he always carried at his belt.
It was illegal but it came in handy, so Sulah simply ignored the
fact that he carried it.

Lao suggested playing nimblepins with Buck, using Buck as the
ball.

Sulah raised a brow at Buck and smirked slightly. Buck actually
squeaked when he tried to speak. 

"Uh - uh..gentlemen. We got darts!" Buck stammered.

~I hope!~ he thought. 

"Darts, eh?" P'teng looked at Sulah. 

"A tame version of z'bauth..no live targets, but the principle is
the same." Sulah leaned back in his chair almost casually. 

"Eh..hm..I suppose it will have to do..Get the darts, little
servant!" P'teng grabbed Buck up off the floor by his collar and
jerked him back to his feet. 

"I STILL say we practice with HIM.." Zirth grinned. 

"Let him get the darts, Zirth..perhaps later you can - indulge."
Sulah smiled slightly. 

P'teng let Buck go, and Buck moved quickly to the back to find
the dart board and darts.

*****

"I don't believe it.." Sierra shook her head. 

"Don't SAY it.." Cam looked at the dilapidated place. It'd been
awhile, but boy, this place went downhill!

"THIS is supposed to be that NICE place you were going to take me
to?" Sierra crossed her arms as they stood there in front Sol's
Place.

"Well, it WAS nice." Cam amended. "Maybe looks can be deceiving."

"Uh huh. Look, Cam. It was nice of you, but lets just go back,
okay? I promise I'll take it easy."

Cameron nodded. "We'll go back, but let's just pop in and get a
drink, all right? It's a long way back."

"Oh all right." Sierra sighed and they went inside.

It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dimness and
immediately Sierra made a face. 

"Cam, you have fine taste.."

"It wasn't like this the last time I came.." Cam cast a glance at
the run-down interior.

"Are you sure you were sober?" Sierra asked. 

"Ha, ha. Very funny." Cam gave her a look.

"Well, let's get this drink and go.." Sierra was a little
disappointed. She was sure it wasn't Cam's fault, but she had to
admit that it would have been nice to have a few relaxing hours
in a nice place. Maybe she really had been working too hard. 

"You throw like you shoot, Lao!" A loud male voice guffawed in
some alien language.

Sierra turned in that direction. A group of Drule males were
engaged in a game of darts. She was surprised to see them in a
place like this. Drules were a rarity in this sector. Sierra
turned her head away and followed Cam. The last thing she wanted
was any attention. 

Unfortunately, the four had noticed her.

"Look, a female - a Teran.." Zirth cast his eye on Sierra.

"A tiny thing, but pretty." Lao remarked.

"She must belong to the little Teran." P'teng aimed his dart at
the board and threw it. It landed just shy of the bulls eye.

Sulah too had seen Sierra. And he agreed that she was pretty to
look upon. The small Teran man with her didn't seem to be much of
a threat at all. Perhaps he would be interested in allowing them
to 'borrow' her for a bit - in the interest of intergalactic
relations of course!

"There's a decent enough table over there.." Cam gestured over to
beyond where the four Drules were engaged in their game.

"Great. Past those guys?" Sierra asked with some tredipidation.

"What? Do I detect a note of reluctance from Lt. Browning?" Cam
said. "You're normally not like this."

"That's because I'm normally in a SHIP, in uniform.." Sierra
said. 

"So you're brave behind the uniform." Cam said. 

"No!" Sierra exclaimed. "Look, you're not the one being gawked
at. I can feel them staring at me and it makes me nervous, okay?"

"Just ignore them. You're pretty good at that." 

"And just what is THAT supposed to mean?" Sierra's voice raised
up a notch.

"Hey, whatever it is it means to you, that's what it means." Cam
said with a frown. He wasn't in the mood to argue. 

"I never could understand what you ever meant." Sierra said. "If
you have a comment to make, then make it. Don't make me guess."

"No comment here." Cam said.

"Sounded like one." 

"Let's just sit down." Cam started to lead her over to the other
table. 

"Maybe I don't want to now." Sierra was not in a good mood.

"Excuse me." 

They both turned and then looked up at a very tall Drule. 

"Are you having trouble?" Sulah looked down at the two Terans.

"No, no. Thank you, but we are not." Cam waved him away. He
wasn't too fond of Drules. He didn't trust them.

"Humph." Sierra crossed her arms. 

"Your - ah - wife - seems to disagree." Sulah said with a slight
smile.

"I'm not his wife." Sierra said slightly.

"Ah, my mistake.." Sulah smiled at Sierra.

"And I'm NOT that either!" She snapped. 

Cam interupted. "No offense to you, but we are quite all right.
Now if you'll excuse us - "

"Looking for a table?" Sulah asked in his accented Standard. "You
won't want that one." He pointed to the one that Cam was leading
them to. Come sit with us."

"We'll sit at the bar." Cam said.

"Oh come off it Cam. It's not like we're at war or anything."
Sierra didn't even know why she was saying this. Perhaps it was
just to irritate him. 

"Then it is settled. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sulah and
these are my men, Teng, Lao, and Garo." Sulah led Sierra over to
their table and Cam followed distrustfully. 

"Sit, ris'sai'cha."(beautiful one)He had Sierra sit next to him. 
Cam was just going to take the seat next to Sierra when one of
the Drules who had been playing darts clapped him on the back
hard.

"You play. Show us what a Teran can do." Zirth gave Cam a grin
that would frighten a lesser man. Cam had the feeling that this
was not so much a request but a command.

"Not in much of a mood, but thanks." Cam said, keeping an eye on
Sulah and Sierra. 

"Eh, maybe he's afraid." Lao gave Cam a disdainful look. 

P'teng grinned. "You play. Maybe we set up a friendly wager for
you. Make your woman proud of you.." 

The others snickered and this annoyed the crap out of Cam. He
happened to be pretty good at this game and the thought of them
'making it easy' galled him. 

"You're on." Cam said. "Only I don't need anything made easy for
me. I can play this game."

"Good!" Zirth clapped him on the back harder, making Cam think he
was trying to knock him down deliberately.

"20 galactic credits!" Lao gathered up the darts.

Cam had quite a bit on him, so 20 wasn't too bad as an opener.
Still he worried over Sierra. So far the Drule hadn't done
anything. Perhaps he was worried over nothing.

Back at the table, Sulah ordered Sierra a drink. 

"And what is your name? I cannot call you 'ris'sai'cha' - it
means 'beautiful one' - all night - unless you wish me to."

Sierra smiled slightly. He was flirting with her! He was rather
handsome and his hair and eyes were so unusual.

"I'm Lt. Sierra Browning of the Commonwealth of Teran Worlds.
HE.." she gestured to where Cam was throwing darts. "Is
Lt.-Commander Cameron LaGrange."

"So you serve together? How interesting.." Sulah said. 

"Yes, we do - aboard the same ship."

"I did not know they allowed women onto your battle cruisers."
Sulah said thoughtfully.

"Don't you have women serving on ships as officers?"

Sulah shrugged. "We have some, although they do undergo many
tests before they serve. Sometimes we have females aboard that
serve other purposes."

Sierra did not ask what those purposes were. She had the feeling
that these particular Drules were rather chauvinistic.

Sulah felt the woman's nervousness abate a little. Amazing that
this little slip of a girl could be an officer upon a ship!
Perhaps the title was simply a cover-up for her true profession.
Typical of the hypocracy of Terans. She seemed to be warming up
to him - a good sign indeed. 

Cam was holding his own at darts despite the raucous behavior of
the three other men. 

"Bah.." P'teng scowled. "This is boring. Perhaps we should raise
stakes."

Cam felt a prickle run up his neck. He had a bad feeling about
this. 

"Wager the woman!" Zirth grinned and looked over at Sierra.

Sierra turned at his comment, her eyes wide.

Cam's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. It's time for us to go. I
can't say it's been nice."

"He's insulting us!" Zirth pounded his heavy hand on the table.

"No, you're insulting US." Cam said, trying to keep the anger out
of his voice. "You obviously are judging us by your own culture."
He turned to Sulah. "I suggest you keep a rein on your men's
mouths."

"And I suggest you keep a rein on yours." Sulah's face darkened.
"I believe you are outnumbered here, my Teran 'friend'."  Sulah
suddenly grabbed Sierra and pulled her onto his lap.
 
"I only wished to have the company of your concubine for a
time.." 

Sierra gasped at the slur.  She tried to slap him but he was too
quick for her. He seemed amused. 

"And I was going to be nice about it - since our races are not at
odds with each other."

"Yet.." Laos quickly divested Cam of his sidearm.

"Let her go." Cam said lowly. If this was the example of Drule
behavior, he'd kill off the whole lot of them. 

"You're in no position to order, Human.." Zirth said derisively.
"We take what we want."

"And we want her." Laos gestured at Sierra.

It didn't look good.

But then they did not count on Buck! 

Out of nowhere the small barkeep swung on an old frayed stage
cord left over from when they had shows, intending to hit Sulah
in the head. By some quirk of fate, it worked, and Sulah was
knocked forward, spilling Sierra from his lap. Sierra scrambled
away from Sulah as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for Buck,
the cord gave way just beyond his swing and he landed on one of
the other tables with a crash. 

"Get 'im!" Zirth growled. He hated short people and this runt was
about the shortest he'd ever seen.

Lao still had his weapon on Cam, but Cam used the distraction to
his advantage, and slugged Lao in the chin which caught him by
surprise.  Sierra backed him up by popping P'teng in the head.

"Run, Sierra! To the ship!" Cam yelled as he grabbed his weapon
from Lao. 

"No! I'm staying to help you!' Sierra yelled back. 

Sulah, his head pounding, made a grab for Sierra. Cam aimed his
weapon on him and stunned him. Diplomacy was not uppermost in his
mind now.

Zirths was chasing Buck around the bar. This roused the drunks
who watched bleary-eyed as the tall Drule chased their short
barkeep. 

"Hey, he's a chasin' Bucky!" One of the drunks pointed. 

"Tha's OUR bartendin' midget guy, pointy!" 

"Le's get 'im!" 

The drunks were ready for a fight. Nobody messed with their guy!

The result? An old fashioned bar fight which the four never
forgot. The 'weak' Terans had surprised them.  

******
Far from the action, Sierra and Cam headed back towards their
ship. 

"Do you think they're all like that?" Sierra asked with a shiver. 

"I'm sure they're not." Cam said grimly, not really believing
what he said.

"You don't believe that.." Sierra said. 

"No." Cam said shortly. "You know what they wanted to do,
Sierra."

"I know, but to judge a whole society upon the actions of four
men."

"They judge us and we judge them.." Cam said.

"Cam.." 

"Let's just go home, Sierra.." 

They were silent for the rest of the trip back.

End