The new regional manager

In a nearby interrogation room, Cha'Rolette and Zurra sat indignantly. Their dresses were torn and charred, their hair burnt and smoking. A layer of ferrocrete dust clung to every inch of them. The new young detective was at a complete loss as to how to handle them.

"I have nothing to say around HER," Cha'Rolette sniffed, turning her back to Zurra.

"Well, talk to me then," Detective Muiller said irritably. "You two wrecked an entire city block, and you won't even tell me why? It's a miracle nobody was killed."

"I'll pay for my half of the damages, of course, it's only pocket change to me." Cha'Rolette looked at Zurra sidelong. "But she will probably have to setup a payment plan."

"Oh, get off your high-horse, Ssykes," Zurra said icily, turning her back away from her. "You're not the only one with money, you know? I can pay my half perfectly fine. The squeaky wheel gathers no moss, after all."

Cha'Rolette looked at Muiller harshly. "You have our I.D.'s, so let us go. I shan't spend another minute in her malodorous presence."

The young detective balled his fists, then had an idea and cracked a grin. "Well, you see, you may have diplomatic immunity, but with all the damage, I'm afraid it may take us a while to process it. In the meantime, I'll be placing you in holding. Cooperate, and I might be able to speed up the process."

"You're obviously new," Cha'Rolette sniffed as he walked out of the room.

"I'll give you two a minute to think about it," he said, slamming the door.

Cha'Rolette crossed her arms. "This is insufferable! I'm a Ssykes. How dare they lock me in a room here with you! I'd leave right now if it wouldn't rob me of the pleasure of watching that detestable little detective thrown out into the street."

"Don't you ever shut up? You know, you're not the only one whose night was ruined. I spent a long time picking out that dress for him, and now it's all torn up" chided Zurra.

Cha'Rolette tugged at the charred collar of her ruined kimono. One of the headband's cat-ears had been burned off, the other hung by a thread. "Custom-made by the finest seamstress, and for what? A night of being grilled next to you by some trat-foot?"

Zurra stuck her fingers together and stretched them apart. "I don't think Geri appreciates all that I do for him. I spend a lot of time keeping up my personal appearance, and he has never once mentioned on how nice I look."

"He's complimented my looks before. Even said my beauty robbed him of his wits" boasted Cha'Rolette.

"Shut up, Ssykes."

The two girls sat there, hating each other. The air was alive with it, sparking about, burning out one of the lights above. Finally, it was Cha'Rolette who broke the silence.

"You know, you have some nerve. I have to spend hours each day exercising to maintain my figure. You can just mold your body like clay to whatever shape you want. How can you possibly complain, when you have it so much easier than I do?"

"Shows what you know. Taking the shape of a rock or a cup is easy. It's taken me years of practice to perfect my adult form."

Zurra turned around and rolled up her tattered sleeve. "Look at my forearm. Do you see how, when I wiggle my fingers, you can see the muscles and tendons flex underneath my skin?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"So, I don't have tendons and muscles. All of that I simulate to look more realistic. My torso expands when I breathe as if I had lungs and rib bones, by skin pulses as if blood was pumping through my veins. I respirate even though I don't actually have to. Do you know how much practice and concentration it takes just to realistically sit here and pass for a solid?"

"And yet you still just look like a pile of pink goo."

Zurra's countenance fell and she looked away. "I am just a pile of pink goo. That's why I try so hard. I want people to see me as one of them."

Cha'Rolette's expression softened. "You know, you are not a very good rival, admitting all this to me. I could easily use it against you."

Zurra chuckled. "Yeah, I know. Subtlety just isn't my strong point."

"Obviously."

Zurra looked over harshly. "You know, you could stand to go five minutes without throwing out little barbs at me! You people should be flattered. I, who can be anything, choose to look like you. It should be like the ultimate compliment!"

Cha'Rolette softened further. She closed her eyes and folded her arms. "I know, it's not very ladylike of me. But you have to admit, you started this. I was content to ignore you until you turned this into a competition."

Zurra chuckled sadly and looked at her pink hand. "Competition huh? Yeah, I guess it's pretty silly. Ninety quadrillion males in the galaxy, and we have to compete over the same one."

They both chuckled softly at the absurdity of it all.

Cha'Rolette cracked open a playful eye. "Don't be silly. This is not a competition. You never stood a chance."

Zurra got mad and looked over, but then realized that Cha'Rolette was joking. A smile slowly grew across Zurra's face. "Good one, Ssykes. That was funny."

Cha'Rolette gave a self-satisfied smile. "And you said I couldn't be fun."

The two young women stared each other down, a little spark of electricity showing the animosity between them, but this time, it was mixed with a little respect as well.

The heavy door opened again and Muiller walked back in holding a cup of steaming hot jaffe. "The guards will be moving you to holding now while we process your identification. That is, unless you have something to say to me."

Cha'Rolette sat back down, closing her eyes and crossing her arms. "I don't, but I think your supervisor might."

"What?"

Sergeant Schriderr strode in and smacked the young detective upside the head, knocking his Jaffe to the floor. "What are you, stupid?" he yelled.

"I was just..."

Schriderr grabbed Muiller by the collar and pulled him in close. "We don't put members of the cartel in holding, you trog. Not unless we have a death wish!"

Muiller went white as death. "Wait, are you telling me she's a Ssykes, like THE Ssykes?"

"Yeah, newbie, she is E'Duwag Honrinar Ssykes' only daughter, and you just ticked her off."

The two detectives turned to Cha'Rolette, who had a wry little grin on her lips.

The police couldn't open the cell doors fast enough. Within thirty seconds, the two women were being escorted past booking, while former Detective Muiller was being tossed out into the street, holding a tiny box with the contents of his desk in them.

"We are so sorry Duchess!" Sergeant Schriderr said, bowing as deeply as his fat gut would allow.

"I assure you there will be no mention of this on any official records," Commissioner Rayson promised from behind his thick mustache.

"Right," Schriderr added. "Your name won't be mentioned anywhere. You were never here."

Cha'Rolette snatched her burnt parasol out of his grip. "See that it doesn't."

"Yes, ma'am, thank you ma'am," the men said in unison.

Suddenly Cha'Rolette's ta'atu flashed and she walked over to one of the interrogation rooms. Inside, she could see Gerald in shackles as a detective yelled at him.

"Commissioner, may I ask what is going on in there?"

"That? Oh, we believe the human was attached to the bombings. We don't have enough evidence to pin it on him, but we don't have to either. He was found trespassing inside a restricted Ssykes facility. That's enough for fifty cycles at least."

Cha'Rolette raised her hand and the door opened before her. Detective Matrov was a little surprised to see her, Gerald was shocked.

As Cha'Rolette walked in, Gerald moved to speak, but found that invisible hands were covering his mouth.

"Detective Matrov, am I to understand that this young man is to be prosecuted for trespassing?"

Matrov glanced at the Commissioner, suddenly unsure. "Um, yes, ma'am. It's an open and shut case.

The evidence against him is rock-solid. We have security footage, eyewitness testimony, and his own admission."

Cha'Rolette looked at Gerald, disappointed. "He admitted to going in there?"

"He said he wasn't going to lie," Matrov said, shaking his head disbelieving as he made a mark on his tablet.

Cha'Rolette narrowed her voice to Gerald only. "I'm sorry to do this to you, but this is the only way I can help."

"Detective, I have some new evidence to bring to your investigation," she announced to everyone.

"You do?"

"Do you know this young man, Duchess?" The Commissioner asked.

"Yes, he is my classmate. My stupid... stupid classmate. What's important, though, is that he is also my employee."

Detective Matrov's head came up. "He is?"

She nodded. "I offered him a job just this morning, to be Ssykes' Regional Public Charity Relations Manager. I can get you the proper paperwork tomorrow when the local branch opens up. So, assuming he accepts the job, he would not have been technically trespassing on Ssykes property. At least, I wouldn't see it that way. As a Regional Manager he would have supervisory clearance to be there. His little prank may earn him some demerits, of course, but that will be investigated and handled internally by my people. There are no grounds for law enforcement to get involved in this."

The police all looked at each other, befuddled.

"Well, this changes everything," Schriderr admitted.

"Oh come on, she said herself that he hadn't accepted the job yet," Matrov protested, but the others silenced him with a glance.

"Is this true, kid?" Commissioner Rayson asked, his mustache twitching.

Gerald found his mouth released, and looked up at Cha'Rolette defiantly.

"Please," she said only to him. "If I push any harder my father will..."

When she looked at him apologetically, he softened.

Gerald dropped his head. "I guess I have no choice after all," he said sadly. "I feel like I never did."

He looked up at her insolently. "I'll be your Regional Public Charity Relations Manager."