Transparent as Glass

Posted on Fri Nov 27th, 2020 @ 3:11am by Black Market Jemison (Jemi) Ajayi & Alliance Oksanna Petrovich

Mission: This Week's Special
Location: Docking Ring
Timeline: after 'Riders on the Storm'

Jemi had spent the last couple hours aboard the freighter sharing the tiny observation lounge with a five or six-year-old child who pressed his face against the window, smearing the glass, and his father who appeared to be sleeping in the only seat. Above the slime-level, Jemi watched as a shiny spec emerged from the black and grew until she could recognize Greenleaf Skyplex from its cortex images, and finally the docking ring filled the entire viewport.

The child shook his parent. "Dad! Wake up, we're home." The father roused, picked up his child and held him up to the window. Jemi stepped back as the glass was smeared opaque at her eye level. What was it her favorite elderly museum docent used to say when cleaning the display cases? Oh, yes. I love children, I just can't eat a whole one.

Jemi returned to her cramped cabin to collect her suitcase as the freighter docked. The remainder of her belongings would be transferred from freighter to station storage temporarily, until she could verify a residential address. Jemi headed for the docking bay, but was surprised to find a queue of passengers waiting to disembark. Some kind of… immigration screening? She could see a pretty blond woman ensconced in a mobile booth, speaking to the father and son duo.

Oksanna adjusted her pill box hat as she looked over the IDent cards for Jefferson Kai and his son Fensic. Nothing suspicious looking about their transit logs. A quick two week trip into the border worlds to visit relatives. She smiled sweetly at the two of them. "Anything to declare? Are you carrying any control substances?" she inquired feeling a little shy to ask such a question of man with a six year old in tow, but they were standard inquiries based on their identification profiles.

"No nothing to declare, generally a rather uneventful trip to see my brother on Bellephoron." Mr. Kai responded.

His IDent card beeped once and the bar on the reader turned green, showing his entry to the station was logged with Alliance Immigration control. Oksanna pulled the card from the reader and handed it back to Mr. Kai. "Everything looks in order. Welcome home."

"Glad to be home." Kai replied, taking his card and steering his distracted son around the booth and toward the cooridor leading into the station hub.

Oksanna jotted a couple notes on the file before hitting the final submit button. She then in looked up with a well practiced smile at the nest woman in line. "Welcome to Greenleaf Skyplex. Your IDent card please."

Jemi had waited patiently for her turn with her IdentCard in her hand and her hood down. After the three weeks she'd spent on the Bellephoron estate of one of her employers, the freighter's accommodations had seemed oppressively small. And yet, those travel conditions would make an easier transition to quarters on the Greenleaf Skyplex.

She stepped up to the official in her booth and presented her IdentCard. Jemi preemptively answered the initial questions she'd heard the woman ask other arriving passengers. "I have nothing to declare and I'm not carrying any controlled substances." Jemi was telling the truth, anything she needed that might fit that description would be smuggled to her later.

"Can you tell me if there are residential quarters for me in the Skyplex?"

Osanna smiled broadly as she accepted the IDent Card. Sliding it into the reader, the Jemi's immigration and transit history came up on Oksanna's screen. "From Londinium I see... by way of Belephoron. What brings you this far out in the black?" she asked congenially.

As she spoke she linked the search inquiry to the Federal database, tax assessment and criminal registries. It would take a few moments to receive a response from the Core worlds, but she had several more questions to fill the time.

"A desire to reinvent myself and make a fresh start." Her smile was more grim than hopeful. Honest as her answer was, she knew it wasn't going to happen. Jemi's criminal record, which would soon come up on that official screen, insured that her employers had exclusive access to her skill set. Her weekly salary, disguised as a stipend from an inherited trust, was at the low end of moderate by Londinium standards, but should be adequate or better on the rim. Jemi tipped her head and leaned in slightly to see the woman's badge. "Ms… Petrovich."

Oksanna gave Jemi a genuine look of compassion. "The Skyplex is a great place to start over." the slight red glow on Oksanna's face reflected the return of her criminal record inquiry. She smiled kindly. "Looks like you have had your troubles. Those that can support their lifestyle and not make waves can find lots of opportunity here. What are you looking to for employment?" Oksanna inquired, while she was perusing Jemi's financials on her monitor.

"Well, I'm hoping that my savings and the income from my trust fund will hold me over until I can find work," said Jemi. She couldn't exactly hang up a sign that said, Counterfeits-R-Us: get your stolen art appraised here. She'd need a legitimate front, something believable. "I was thinking of becoming a tattoo artist."

Oksanna smiled at the comment. "The Plex can always use more art, even if its on our skin. If you need any help finding a job, I know a lot of people and I can get you in with the Administrator too if you need. She is a good friend of mine.

Do you have accommodations here or do you need a referral for a good place to stay?"

"Yes, please. I do need a referral for accommodation." Ms. Petrovic's smile was infectious. Jemi had herself once been a trusting and helpful soul, trying to use her skills to make the 'verse a better place. But now it was hard to believe in the good intentions of others… although she wanted to. "And I definitely could use help finding a job. Would you really do that, get me in with the Administrator? I just got here, you don't even know me."

Oksanna smiled confidently. "Of course. Administrator Wilson is always interested in people bringing new talents to the Skyplex. And besides, everyone needs a break to reinvent themselves. I just want to help steer you to people that can really help. There are plenty on board that love to take advantage of newcomers. I think its my duty to help a woman trying to make her way in the verse and keep you on the right foot. Now, for a place to stay, there is the Alliance hostel on the less expensive side. I would recommend the Tenzig Momo resort and Spa. Its a little upscale, but my family keep a suite there, and I can get you a good discount for a few days as you get settled. Just tell them you are a guest of the Petroviches. They are always no nice."

"I hardly know what to say, that is so kind of you. Thank you, Ms. Petrovich. The Tenzig Momo sounds perfect." Maybe she really could make a home and a new start here at the Skyplex. "What is the best way to contact the Administrator, to make an appointment?"

Oksanna continued to smile as she tapped in information inti Jani's immigration file. "I am tagging your profile to forward to the administrator, and you can contact her directly via the Cortex at Administrator:Greenleaf Skyplex. Her office is down on Deck six. I will be speaking with her later today, and I will happily leave a good word for you. How much space do you need for your tattoo studio?"

Jemi really was not ready for that question. She'd done some tattoo work while she was at university, when she had been intrigued by the concept of wearable art and body as canvas. Tattoo artist had been the first job that came to mind, but she was warming up to the idea. "I will need to review the licensing requirements on the Skyplex and get recertified. Probably best to do some market research first, find out if any existing tattoo studios have a chair available to rent." She wished she could lean closer, to see what Ms. Petrovich was looking at in her records. "I will contact the Administrator as soon as I get to the Tenzig Momo."

Oksanna finished her notes in the file and hit send. She pulled Jemi's IDent card from the reader and handed it back to her. "Make sure you do. I look forward to seeing you around the station. Nor sure if I will be needing a tattoo, but it shouldn't take much to talk my sister into one. Enjoy your stay at the Momo. If they give you any trouble ask them to message me. Welcome to Greenleaf Skyplex."

"I appreciate your help, Ms. Petrovich. You've been very kind and helpful." Jemi tucked away her IdentCard and took up the handle of her suitcase, a sense of anticipation washing over her. What new experiences, and new friends awaited her in her on the Skyplex? She looked forward to finding out.