Zero Sum

Galactic Patrol on the side

The call had come in at headquarters. This planet was being overrun with foul beastly invaders. Although not strictly speaking alien in origin. It seemed some fraction of the planet's population had become stricken with thirst for violence. The Galactic Patrol officer was charged with subduing the threat to the population. 

Now the time had come to descend onto the surface of the planet, in his transport vessel. If subduing the threat was not possible then he was authorized to use lethal force. First though he needed to ascertain the nature of this threat. That meant meeting the locals. A less than ideal circumstance. Seeing as this planet was fairly primitive in nature. Even its name "Earth" suggested that.

He found it agonizing to think that planets like these never even considered there were worlds outside of their own. How self-centered and cowardly. Well perhaps cowardly was the wrong word. But to think that they made little to no effort to reach out beyond their planetary borders and search beyond. Confined to their little pocket of space like insects. 

Walking the streets of one of their populated areas did not make him stand out. It seems as if his suspicions of this being an underdeveloped planet filled with uncouth creatures were correct. As these people were either ignorant or permissive enough to look at a stranger like him with little more than a snicker. 

Humanoid in appearance even without the camouflage tech he is using to blend into the population. The officer normally has blue colored skin. Big yellow colored bug eyes that had small dialated pupils. A body that seemed more insectoid, complete with exoskeleton and jointed limbs.

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Back in outer space, someone places a call. Perhaps call is not the right word. Because instead of dialing a number and hoping there is enough reception for the two of you, this is a more direct method of communication. With a wave in the air over a holographic display, which allows you to choose who in the known galaxy you wish to contact, usually from a list of favorite or frequently contacted persons. After selecting and making a simple selection gesture, you are put in direct contact with the individual you wish to communicate with. 

Regardless of whether the person wants to communicate with you or not, a holographic display appears near that individual and you can see immediately where and what they are doing. Albeit in a miniaturized display at first, only if the person on the receiving end of your call accepts your communication, does the display fill in completely. This happens in the middle of the air of wherever you happen to be, and a conversation can commence, almost as if being done face to face. Despite the fact that the two of you may be in separate star systems.

Although also a member of the galactic patrol force, this officer has decided to place a call and phone in a favor. These unsavory characters form a band of pirate friends he has ingratiated himself with. By giving these criminals leniency, the pirates have become the shady officer's thugs for hire. Carrying all manner of nasty assignments at the behest of the shady officer.

There is a distant planet, named Globryu, that is treated as a holy place for pilgrims to visit. These believers travel vast distances, in order to have their wishes granted. On this planet there is a temple, of sorts. The shady officer tells his secret pirate horde that they need to infiltrate the planet, discreetly, and that he desires to make a wish at the temple. He does not tell them that it is for an entirely self-serving wish.

To say that the wishes made at this temple are actually granted, is a tricky question to answer. A pilgrim may travel and wish, for example, to receive a vast quantity of riches for himself. These riches however are in the form of an overabundance of acquaintances, or rich buildups of plaque on their circulatory system. The temple seems to have an agenda of its own. And in its own way, determines whether or not to grant your wish, and just how that wish will be carried out, if at all.

The officer and the pirates fly by ship and rendezvous at the low orbiting planetary border crossing station. It is a very large hub of activity, large relative for a space station anyways. There are markets and all manner of inhabitants of the station. Some stay by choice, others not so much. First thing before entering the planet is to secure fake IDs, then make their way inside the place where the temple resides.

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Back on Earth, the officer has thrown himself into his work. Even getting a job among the primitives and even securing for himself an Earth girlfriend. His work actually involves breaking the local laws. Being himself above their law, he holds himself accountable only to the law of the galactic patrol force. He feels no need to follow the social mores of this place. His girlfriend does not even seem to mind, so long as the money keeps on coming in.

Despite the officer's very non-human natural appearance, his camouflage is so advanced. Not only is his appearance hidden, but even if one were to touch and feel or even smell him, they would only perceive what he wanted them to perceive him as, just another human being. Even though he is covered in an exoskeleton and his face looks far from human. To the touch, his camouflage will make the person feel flesh and not an exoskeleton. 

Outside of a very rundown looking loan office that looks like decades behind in style, he acts as lookout for his partner in crime. Only casually observing his surroundings, making sure not to be noticed, while at the same time taking notice of anything out of the ordinary. Or anything that may hinder their plot. His partner of course has no idea that he is working with someone not of this world.

In fact that is the point. To interact with the population in such a way that he can determine without any bias as to whether or not this planet can be accepted into the galactic society.

Unexpectedly, he runs into his girlfriend's parents, and an elderly neighbor of theirs. All three of whom recognize him instantly. Without giving away his frustrations, he remains casually on the lookout, yet maintains the stream of dull small talk with his unwelcome acquaintances. Realizing the unexpected benefit of this run in with his prospective in-laws, now that he is involved in a relatively animated conversation, he is even less suspicious looking.

Strategically, instead of letting this unforeseen encounter sabotage their operation, instead he diffuses the conversation at just the right moment which will allow him and his partner in crime to make their way out of the soon to be crime scene. Both of them separately blend into the crowds of pedestrians. They communicate using discreet hand signals and body language. Telling each other, without the use of words, where and when they will meet again to debrief each other.

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On Globryu, the shady officer and his hired pirate crew have already secured false identities and passage onto the surface of the planet. There was a very close call in which on of the crew members was almost made. But thanks to some quick thinking and even faster action, there was no longer any threat presented from that person.

After barely making it out of the customs and borders checkpoint, the officer jests to the pirate partner leader about his selfish wish. Not quite unexpectedly he gets yelled at severely for only thinking about himself. But the officer tells him that it was only a joke and he says thank goodness. The only reason that the pirate believed it, is because the officer released some imperceptible nerve gas that causes anyone who inhales it to disregard any experience that has just taken place. The effects are sporadic, so you never know what the effect will be exactly. For instance, the target may forget the entire day or just the last few minutes. The effects may be permanent or it could last only a few hours. The important thing is that, for the most part, there is no danger of his selfish wish being exposed.

Right now there are more pressing matters to get in order. Firstly, it turns out they need a local guide if they are to get anywhere near the temple without raising suspicions. Amek is the name of a local contact so they are on the way to meet with him and convince him to help. The rest it seems they will make up as they go along.

Amek points out that the temple now has 3 fail safes in order to prevent misuse of its wish granting powers. Something which the pirate crew points out they should have been told to them from the beginning. After a shouting match with the crew, and a few doses of nerve gas, the shady officer manages to convince them that his wish must be accomplished, all for the greater good.

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