Words of the USS Palladin incident spread like wildfire after the Palladin landed at Star base 185. The crew, particularly its Vulcan's helmsperson S'Andi and Captain Archibald Bryant have been trumpeting the history of the Phoenix Colony in the Typhon Expanse as a safe haven, as an alternative to the rising tyranny perpetuated by Vice President and soon to be President V'Ros of Vulcan and the rising Universal Socialist Dictatorship that has become the United Federation of Planets.
The word has finally brought new persons to the colony. Finally, Nicole is once again busy processing refugee claims. She was in near tears when she read the application. It was from Earth. People are growing more and more tired of being bossed around. The ship, containing about 10000 persons, literally washed into orbit in the Typhon Expanse without much for leadership or for technology. The families were quickly processed and the children quickly enrolled in schools and even in the beautiful Academy.
Nicole was proud of what they had to offer, what they had accomplished and hoped that races in the Beta Quadrant would see the thriving colony and come to be a part of who they are and what they represent.
Nicole had been at the work a lot and longed to spend some time with Brenna. They were walking to school when the first batch of new refugees came walking to school as well.
Brenna looked up, "Great, more new kids."
Nicole looked down and snapped, "Brenna!"
Nicole was horrified when she saw their packs, marked with symbols of independent nations and race. This is not the Earth she knew or the Earth she loved. No wonder people are leaving.
"They are dumb. They just slow down the class.", Brenna retorted.
"They have not known the same freedoms as us, Brenna. They are not Phoenix. We need to include them, we need to include everyone.", Nicole explained.
"Include everyone, but why?", Brenna snapped back.
"Because we are the Phoenix Unification, we are the alternative to a self-righteous and punitive Federation.", Nicole smiled.
Brenna looked at Nicole and then looked at the children. Suddenly, she burst away at breakneck speed.
"Brenna!", Nicole shouted, but it was too late.
She ran up and tagged the outside child, "You're it!"
The little boy started to chase her giggling, dropping his pack. Nicole smiled.
She walked over to the little packs and tore the symbols off, tossing them aside.
One of the small children came running back, "Why did you do that?"
"These symbols are about prejudice and about separation. Here, we are about unity and together. If you want symbols on your pack, use this one.", Nicole handed the little girl a patch.
She smiled and put in on the pack.
"You are a nice lady, are you a teacher here?", the little girl asked.
"No sweetie, just a concerned parent, like your mother.", Nicole smiled.
"My mother died. She spoke at a rally against President Johnson and was killed by the police. That is why my dad brought me here. No one speaks out against the Federation. Not now, not ever.", the little girl explained.
Nicole hugged her. The little girl looked up, "I wish I could meet the president of this place. They gave my dad and me a house and gave my dad a job at the university. All that for free. Why would someone do that for poor people from Earth?",
Nicole looked down, her eyes welling up, "Because we can. Because we are the Alternative."
Posted by:
Vice Admiral Nicole Branson
Refugee Processing Specialist
Phoenix Colony
Phoenix Unification
