Robert was growing to love his work on the Omega Planet. The students had arrived and classes had begun. There were personnel of every race. In addition, the Omega Planet had become a special place welcoming refugees from the Klingon Empire, the Cardassian Union and even the Bajoran Republic. He had grown quite fond of the children who hung around the Omega Prime Offices while their parents arrange for land alotment and settlement agreements. He wondered what it must have been like for the settlers of the old west on Earth as they crossed the Missouri river and headed west knowing that they would be given a small parcel of land and nothing more. They would have known nothing about St. Louis or Kansas but they went knowing that at least they would have land.
This was as these families. They went from Bajorans without citizenship to citizens of Jake Anderson's amazing Omega Prime. They went from having no pride in where they lived to taking special care to lay every block and every conduit in their new adobes with honor, dignity and pride. This was brought to them by the Omega Fleet, by Veltkamp and Anderson. Robert would tell the children tales of Veltkamp even though he had never met the man. He would just take a space legend like Kirk or Picard, stories all Caitian children are told and put Veltkamp in the role of Kirk, Picard or even Archer. It did not matter to the children. They just loved the stories. Hell, as Leo would tell it, Veltkamp was at kittimer and at Wolf 359. He was there to see Cochrane and there to see the Caretaker. He was a story teller for sure.
The one thing Robert dreaded was the ride to and from work. The hover bus was driven by a service hologram, Program R-41299 and would states its designation and purpose but little ele. Robert was a conversationalist. This made him a fine policeman. He would walk down the streets of Omega City and people would address him as "Good Morning, Robert" or "Go'd day, Officer Leo" but his beat was as peaceful as any in the known world. The people knew him and therefore would not behave badly.
Robert had learned a little in his training. He knew about holographic projection and library storage. He wanted the bus ride to be more entertaining. He wanted to talk to someone. He integrated the R-41299 program into the Omega City database. He never manipulated his service protocol just his personality accompaniment.
The result is the most famous bus driver of all, "Ralph Kramden". Robert had quite a laugh when the bus driver introduced himself. The pair shared a chuckle and the introduction became part of their morning ritual. His personality was improving daily and Robert actually looked forward to the ride to work for the first time in his time on Omega Prime.
He got up one morning and was behind schedule. He ran towards the bus. "Ralph" had almost left him. His service protocol was intact. He could not wait more than 5 minutes at any one stop. Robert leaped onto the bus. Mary-Lou Cole, his land lord rushed out shouting at Robert that he forgot his rent receipt PADD. Robert did not care. He, at least had made the bus.
Ralph looked out the window and shook his fist at Mary-Lou, "One of these days, Mary-Lou. One of these days, straight to the moon."
Robert laughed so hard, he spilled his coffee. The timing was so perfect for Ralph's personality protocol to upgrade for the catchphrase. Robert had tears in his eyes from laughter when he got out at the station. What was going to be a bad morning was suddenly one of his most memorable ever on the Omega Planet.
Posted by:
Officer Robert E. Leo
Omega Prime Emergency Service
Omega Planet
Omega Fleet
