Stranger Danger
Posted on Sun Jan 4th, 2026 @ 9:45am by Civilian Kerilia Dosivi & Civilian Teevs Dosivi
Mission:
MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Spheia
Timeline: Federation Year 2389
979 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure
A giggle came from the depths of the ship. In her room, a small girl with bouncy curls sat with some of her toys. Mom and Dad were on the station doing negotiating stuff she didn't understand, and they told her to stay on the ship, so she did. All of her favorite toys were here. One was a small rocket, and she used her hand to support the stuffed animal perched on top. She was making an engine noise with her lips and moving the rocket around in the air, imagining that it was her flying the ship through space.
Kerilia had no objections with staying on board. Trading outposts were noisy, and while Kerilia liked people, she didn't like that many people. Besides, if someone wanted a tour of the ship, Kerilia was the go-to girl. At 2 Niean years*, she was insistent on helping out because 'she was basically all growed up' and could handle the big kid stuff.
Her bedroom had a window, and from her bed she could see out the window and into the outpost shuttlebay. It was usually boring, with some fixy-guys walking around. Normally, Kerilia didn't pay attention to it, but motion outside the window caught her attention.
Leaning forward a little on her bed, she peeked through the window to see four figures approaching the Spheia. They had dark green clothes on with a goldish undertone, with ribbed accents suggesting a more military-style set of attire. They had a funny pouch on their hips as well. Their hands had three fingers and were rather pointed on the ends. They were all a shade of gentian, which darkened on the horns on their cheeks and forehead. One was notably shorter than the others, and that one had a sort of jewelry that outlined either side of the forehead ridge and met just above the nose, where a decorative piece of metal sat. The other three just had the stuff outlining their ridges.
Curiosity settled into her gut as she watched the figures approach the ship. Maybe they were looking for Mom and Dad. Shortly after they disappeared from the window's view, there was a chime that sounded through the ship, prompting Kerilia to leave her toys on the bed and exit her room. Making her way to the aft, she pushed a small crate over to the panel by the back door and climbed on top of it so she could reach the buttons. Pressing the one to enable comms outside the ship, she asked, "Can I help you?"
The aliens looked at each other before the shorter one stepped forward. "Hello dear, my name is Jir'aa." Unsure if the child inside could see them, Jir'aa put on a sweet, fake smile. She could practically sense the eagerness of her three companions. "We're here to speak with a Teevs Dosivi for a business matter. Is he aboard?"
Teevs had warned her about people asking questions like this. He didn't want anyone to take their cargo. "My pawents are busy wight now," Kerilia answered, remembering what her parents had told her.
The three behind her shifted slightly but let Jir'aa take the lead. "Oh, that's a shame," she said, her tone now hinting at mild disappointment. "We really wanted to discuss some business with them. But I suppose you can help us, sweetheart. Would it be ok if we waited for them with you?"
[[ I'm, uh... not supposed to. ]] Kerilia's voice through the comms was hesitant, cautious. [[ Dad doesn't want people to take our stuff while they do begotiating. ]]
A chorus of quiet chuckles was the response. The child was young enough to have little mixups in her speech. Jir'aa put a hand to her chest, the other slipping behind her, in a posture similar to addressing royalty. "We're not here to take your dad's stuff, dear. I promise. We just want to see if he would be interested in a trade." Thinking for a second, she added, "your dad actually told us to come here and wait for him." Behind her back, she made a couple of hand gestures to her companions, telling them to be ready to force the door open if she doesn't cooperate.
The other three aliens said nothing, pretending to not see the hand signals from their boss. They had to be convincing for the girl.
There was a long pause as Kerilia thought it over. [[ I tink that will be ok, we have a pwace where you can wait for them. But do you super pwomise to not take our stuff? And you're not Beborin, awe you? Daddy says to not let any Beborins into the ship. ]]
Jir'aa smiled to mask the satisfaction over how naive this child was. "No, sweetie, we aren't Nelorins," she lied sweetly. "And we super promise to not take anything." A quiet grunt masked the snicker from one of the Nelorins behind her, and if she weren't trying to sweet talk this child she'd turn around and shoot him. A couple seconds later, the door to the ship opened, revealing a small child who waved them aboard.
This was too easy.
*2 Niean years is approximately 6 Earth years
Nelorin:
