Drew's Troubles - Omega Colony #01

"Mother, how do they know I am new to the station?" Drew asked.

"What are you taking about Drew?" Adrian looked over and saw the females giggling and giving short looks at her son.

'I cannot hear what they are whispering, but my assumption is your clothing and hair style. Look around you. Anyone else wearing cowboy boots, a button-down tartan Pendleton and have their long hair loose?" she paused to look at her son whose eyes had shifted from the females to other species wandering about.

"Remember, life on the station is always an interesting mix of fascination and danger. There is always the chance for hull breach, or gravity issues if the generators fail. Everyone tends to wear more stretchable and relaxing clothes. And to tie their hair back out of their face or keep it short. Its all a plan for practicality my son, plus keeping things simple." She responded.

"Did you hear them as they walked by? Is that why you are asking?" Adrian questioned

He could reach out and "hear them' by "transitioning' whenever he wanted to. It was an odd thing. He awoke knowing he could do it. He was sure that it all to do with his dream friend, but he was reluctant to let anyone know for a while.

He was also amazed at the ease at which he tossed away the beliefs he had held for his entire life. He had no idea how he could have lived with so much continual hatred. Hate of colored skin. Hate for differing religious views. Hate for other species, hate, hate and more hate.

He could now look out amongst humanity and the other species and see joy, comradery, a hunger for the future, and the love of life in all its forms. As he had been told, it all 'comes from the same kernel.'

So, he just shrugged and went on listening and immersing himself into all the fascinating languages and cultures that flowed around and through the entwining spaces.

He smiled as they ate a late lunch, in the middle of a city, on a strange planet, far in space.

***

He stopped and stared at the tall willowy being walking towards him on the fourth level causeway. He started to walk towards him when his mother grabbed his arm and tried to stop him.

"What are you doing? Are you insane?"

"Going to talk to that being coming towards us." Drew responded

"The hell you are. That is not only a Grell, but the High Grell ambassador. The Grell do not look kindly on humans and they do not broach lesser races talking when not spoken too. He is the representative of the Elder races and does not like humans especially."

Drew just smiled and stopped walking. Standing to the side, waiting on the procession of Dragons, lower Grell and High caste Grell to walk by.

As they passed, Drew bowed, but lightly bowed with his hand over his heart and smiled a Mona Lisa smile. Mentally he sent out a greeting, not knowing what the response would be. The Grell faltered and came to a stop. The dragons not knowing what was going on fanned out and scanned for danger. Two came to stand in front of Drew and his mother.

One of the lower Grell came to face Drew's mother, completely ignoring the younger male.

"Deputy Ambassador, how did you communicate in that fashion? It is unacceptable to try and communicate directly to the high Ambassador. You know this and understand the failure of following protocols."

"I... I have no idea what you mean." She stuttered, understanding the ramifications of breaks in protocol.

"My apologies to all concerned, it was I that broke protocol, not my mother. I am new to Mars and did not understand the implications," responded Drew, but mentally, not verbally.

The response from the Grell was chaos. The High Grell strode forward and towered over Drew and his mother. She was at a complete loss of what was happening and what she or her son had done to provoke such an aggressive response from the High Grell ambassador himself.

She bowed very deeply and introduced herself "My highest apologies your majesty. I am Adrian Booker, Deputy UN Ambassador for the Cat parcel of Space. This is my son Drew Brian Booker of Earth, newly arrived on Mars. We mean no insult and we will gladly leave before issuing further insult on your esteem person."

Drew had bowed and done it correctly...well sort of. He had again broken protocol because he had bowed to ones of equal status. The High Grell was not amused.

"What parlor trick do you use to directly contact me and what is the meaning of the high priest mark on your forehead."

Adrian was again at an impasse. She knew something was going on, but she had no idea what.

"For the benefit of my mother I will use our spoken language. I met one of your kind recently. He...gifted me this mark...I assume. It showed up without my knowledge shorty after I awoke from a...medical issue."

Adrian jumped into the conversation, "My apologies your highness, my son was tragically hurt during his trip here in what we humans call the "transition" between space. I...um...we do not know where or how the blue mark was placed on his forehead."

The lower Grell moved back into the conversation when he was directed to by the High Grell.

"That mark and the presumption that he met a High Priest is beyond insulting. They have been gone for hundreds of your earth years. That mark is only worn by members of the highest scholar's caste. I recommend you remove it before you caused further insult."

"Of course, of course..." Adrian started to placate.

"It was a gift from a friend. Therefore, it will remain." Drew paused thinking of the priest in the glade, "I wish I had his, it glowed like the most beautiful jewel I have ever seen.".

The High Grell had been trying to ignore the humans until he heard that. He snapped back towards Drew and issued a command. Drew understood it but waited for the lower Grell to translate.

Drews eyes flicked between the High Grell, Lower Grell and his mother. The Mona Lisa smile remained.

"He will be summoned later and he and the High Grell will discuss this subject further." With that the 'royal' entourage aligned back into place and carried on like nothing had transpired.

"Drew! What was that about?" his mother asked staring at him, astonished.

Drew became pensive for a second and then spoke, "Mother, my name from now on will be DB. I do not want to ever muddy things with my long-lost cousin. He has enough on his plate and I never want to be called Lord Drew again."

"But like you said mother, life with you will not be boring."

***

End of Omega Chapter 1