Night City Aliens: The Wandering Planet

Ch 20: End of an Empire, Part 2

"Attention passengers. This is your captain speaking. We will be arriving on Sigmorta-5 shortly. Please dress in any necessary thermal gear at this time."

Rana let out a heavy sigh and stood from her seat. She had transferred between three transports to get here, and now it was time to freeze. Opening her carry-on, she started to slip on multiple layers to keep out the cold. She finished off with the thick coat with a hood before sitting back down and strapping in.

"First time?"

"Hm?" Rana looked to the seat across from her. Smiling at her was a furry Sigmor lady dressed in official attire.

"First time on an ice planet? We don't normally get young visitors past Sigmorta Prime," the Sigmor said.

"Uh, yea," Rana hesitantly answered. "I'm, uh... I'm transferring for a work study."

"No need to be nervous, dear. Sigmorta-5 may be harsh, but the locals are incredibly friendly. You'll be alright here."

"Good to know," Rana nodded. She paid the woman no further attention.

Stepping off the transport, the Narjian girl was hit with the biting wind of a snowy landscape. Above her was a foreign, clear, blue sky over a small, industrial city. Not wanting to endure the elements longer than she had to, Rana headed straight for the terminal. The building was modestly busy with people of various species running around to the various docks. It was mostly Sigmors with the occasional Narjian sprinkled in. There were other species, none of which she didn't know the name of offhand.

Taking a second to look around, she spotted a humanoid robot holding a sign with her name on it.

"Are you supposed to be my guide?" Rana asked the robot.

"Rana of Narjahim. Please present your ID," the machine spoke in a monotone voice. Rana did as it asked, pulling out her passport and holding it open for the robot to scan. "Welcome to Sigmorta-5, Miss Rana," it greeted. "Please follow me to the customs office."

"How efficient," Rana smirked.

The customs office was about as bland as the name suggested. While the Sigmors running it were friendly, they rushed her along. She was only there for about 15 minutes before she was being shuffled out with all her documentation and needed information. With her packet of papers and luggage in hand, she took a taxi to her government provided home.

Rana paid the driver with the cash advance she was given and entered the apartment complex. Her place was on the third floor. Unlocking the door, she found it to be incredibly small. It had all the necessities, such as a bathroom, food refrigeration, a sink, a stove, and a bed. There was even a small desk, but it all left little room to maneuver around. At least it was warm inside.

Her new academy was close by, but she would need to find a ride to work. Taking a taxi all the time would eat through her pay too fast. That was still a weird concept to her. Working for a paycheck. On Narjahim, the basic necessities were free for all Empire citizens. But that was why the Sigmors ran so much of the trade within the Empire. They weren't much for fighting, but they knew economics beyond government.

With a huff, Rana put all her belonging away in the few storage spaces her new apartment provided. She decided to buy groceries the next day. She was too tired from traveling. Instead, the green girl pulled out her portable computer. Connecting to the planetary computer network, she looked up a local map for places to order out.

---

"Class, meet Rana. She's our new transfer student from Narjahim," the Sigmor professor introduced her to the class. As with everywhere else, the class was mostly Sigmor students with a handful of Narjians mixed in.