Beyond the Empyreal Stars

o2.

o2.

"This is going to be an interesting assignment, don't you think?" Padric asked as the platform lowered to the ground floor.

It was going much too slow for Odette's liking, making her like she could not breathe in the confined space.

Her first major assignment as Paragon...and she was freaking out.

Sure, she had gone on plenty of Terrian diplomatic assignments before and had even put down a few rebellions on non-Alliance planets, but nothing like the one she was going on in less than a day, though a year would pass without ever feeling it. She would be undercover, blending in as one of the humans, a regular female among them all. She knew she had to somehow get close to the president of the United States, a young country that had only been around for a little over two-hundred Earth years.

But, how? How was a human girl supposed to get so close to such an important man? It would require much more research once on the planet, because – for now – she did not have the time.

"Are you all right, Paragon?" Padric asked as the platform slowed to a stop at the ground level of the building.

"I am perfect," she nodded, stepping out as he followed. "I need to find Nova and Bas and inform them of our new assignment. We will meet you at the launch hangar, all right?"

She turned to walk away just before Padric called her back.

"Odette, wait." Calling her by her given name made quite a few Terrians look their way, but she stopped. When she looked up at him, he smiled slightly, giving her a nod. "You don't need to fear anything, Odette. Though it will only be a day for you, it will be a year for the rest of us. I will get everything in order before the three of you arrive. It will be fine."

"I am most definitely going to need your help with this, Padric," Odette admitted after a long moment of silence. "I have never been on an assignment like this...and I know you have..."

Padric gave her a nudge. "You've done things more frightening than going to Earth, even by my standards. How else did you get all your medals?" he grinned. "Go to Nova and Bas and I'll see you at the launch hangar in an hour."

She nodded as he guided them toward the entrance and outside where she was able to take a calming breath. With a smile between them, they separated.

Odette knew exactly where Nova and Bas would be – the learner pods in the Guardian Building's ground floor. This was where they would be going through the reports that had come in over the past day from all Alliance races.

She retraced her steps from earlier, though there were many more Terrians out. Almost all nodded their heads in greeting, but Odette did not return them. Her mind was occupied with the coming assignment that she didn't notice.

One day. That was all she had left on her beloved Terra before going to Earth for who knew how long. She had to thank her lucky stars they were sending Padric ahead of them. She would not know where to start and he was resourceful, even on a planet he barely knew.

"Paragon," Hamilton greeted as she walked through the doors of the Guardian Building.

She barely managed a nod before heading off for the platform that would drop her to the floor below.

Nova and Bas were not the only ones in learner pods, reading through each holographic screen and searching through the vid feeds, though they were the only ones speaking. They sat in the same ones every day, though, so it did not take long for Odette to find them. Their conversation would have keyed her in, too.