Chapter 2
A/N Please R & R
The Citadel was a massive space station almost 45 km long, with five districts or wards as the locals called them. Each ward was attached at one end to a giant 10km round ring called the presidium. The presidium was home to the citadel council and the administrative heart of the citadel. This is where the human delegation had been given use of some rooms and where Franklin now found himself.
When Franklin stepped out of the office where he had called home for the last several days into the wide streets of the Presidium he allowed his feet to take him on autopilot for about 30 steps before he found himself on a raised walkway overlooking a main thorough fair underneath him. Franklin took a moment to get his bearings and take a good look at the city around himself. At first glance it was just like any other megacity on earth. Perhaps a bit cleaner, with more gleaming metals and rounded curves. But he quickly started to notice the differences. The first thing he noticed were the people. The people were walking to and fro bustling about on their own business through the wide streets lined with greenery and flowers just like any other city. What set them apart from other people Franklin had seen were the incredible mix of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Some people were shorter and rounder than him encased in full encounter suits, but many taller, and every single one was an alien.
Feeling a little bit of trepidation at finding himself on a completely Alien Space Station millions of light years from home he decided to focus on the street itself. "The streets are at least normal enough looking" He said to himself as he looked down a long boulevard. The street he was looking down continued on and on in a straight line. As Franklins gaze traveled further down the street, and then further and further he was soon forced to begin looking up. And then further up as the street began to curve up and over him. As Franklin peered into the distance, he soon lost sight of the street itself but tracked the curve of the station as it began to loom over him. All too soon Franklin found himself staring straight up at the other side of the station only able to make out the green of parks, gleaming buildings and even the blue of what must have been a lake. As Franklin stood in the middle of the street staring straight up at the far side of the presidium ring, he saw that it was framed by the electric blue and green serpent nebula behind it.
With a feeling of vertigo Franklin wrenched his head down to street level to see that he had gained a bit of an audience. A Turian and a Salarian in Citadel Security uniforms were watching him from only a few feet away.
"I'm sorry can I help you?" Franklin said feeling a bit embarrassed by how much of a country bumpkin he must look like.
"Don't worry about it. Everyone who comes to the citadel for the first time does that. I didn't really look down until I was here for 2 months." Said the Salarian with what sounded to Franklin like sincerity.
"Same, I actually feel pity for the people who are born here. They never really get that feeling of seeing this for the first time." Said the Turian. "Your part of the Human delegation right? We haven't seen a whole lot of you guys, you kind of arrived and holed up in your building. How are you finding the Citadel so far?"
Franklin was momentarily stunned. He had been worried that if he met a Turian he might be faced with some prejudice, or even outright hostility, but this was about as friendly as a welcome as he could have hoped for. After a moment he allowed his natural talkativeness to reassert itself. His father liked to joke that he could be friendly enough to get a rock to tell him its life story. "We haven't had much time to really see anything about the citadel so far. A lot of us more junior people were barely even at the welcoming party. We had to get things ready, but I've been given a bit of an opportunity to fix that. Get out and see some of the sights. Get to know galactic culture."
"So your being paid to be a tourist on the Citadel while the rest of your delegation has to sit around and work? Lucky, I'd kill for a job like that." Said the Salarian.
"Pretty much, not sure how exactly I got this assignment and not someone else, but I'm going to make sure I enjoy it. Is there anything that you'd recommend?"
"Well that depends, what did you want to do? I'm guessing it's not just the normal tourist things you're interested in?"
"Well I wouldn't mind seeing some of that but what I think I really need is to talk to people, strike up a few casual conversations."
"Oh, I know what you're looking for, you want a bar. Go in have a few drinks and talk to people. I know a great place, The Trusty Talon. It's actually one of the larger Turian restaurants and bars, they serve everything, and they're really good about making sure people don't eat the wrong thing."
"He's come half way across the galaxy to the citadel and you want to send him to a Turian Chain restaurant?" said the Salarian with what sounded like disgust. "They don't even cook their own food it's all shipped in bags and microwaved!"
"So what if it's not fine dining? It tastes good, the decor is nice, lots of people to strike up conversations with and his bosses won't rake his back with their talons for being stuck with a ridiculous bill." defended the Turian.
"Still that place is just... fake. What you should do is head down to the main district on any of the wards and just walk until you smell something good." said the Salarian. "Then scan the barcode near the door with your omnitool to make sure thhe food won't kill you." He added as an afterthought.
"You know I'm not actually all that hungry, I just ate a pretty large meal." Interjected Franklin before he could receive any more culinary advice. "I think I'm just going to walk for a bit see if I can map the area out in my head a little. Maybe try to talk to some people a little if I can."
"Probably a good idea. People on the Citadel are usually friendly with newcomers, just be careful, in the presidium people can be in a bit of a hurry, so if you walk to slowly you might get some comments. You shouldn't have that problem in the parks though." Said the Turian.
After saying a quick thank you and exchanging names with the Turian and Salarian guards who ended up being named Altriux and Marlak respectively Franklin made good on his plan to walk the streets and see if he could make a few new friends.
After a quick ride in a transport tube to one of the Citadels wards, chosen entirely at random Franklin found himself once again standing in the street staring at everything around him.
The mass of colours, smells, sights and sounds were enough to leave Franklin wandering around feeling completely lost. Fortunately, even though he was literally the only member of his species the crowd seemed to be large enough that he was barely getting a first look let alone a second. At least until he bumped into a blue woman who was carrying a few boxes.
"Oh I'm sorry" they said together as the boxes fell to the ground. At the same time, they bent down to pick up the boxes.
"I'm sorry about that" said the blue skinned Asari with an accent that sounded almost French and voice that sounded like honey on Franklins ears as she started to gather her dropped parcels.
"No, it was my fault I was distracted, and I wasn't watching where I was going." Franklin replied as he helped her gather her things.
Franklin picked up the last of heavy plastic containers and they both stood up, The Asari finally looked up and froze as she saw him for the first time.
Franklin attempted to hand her a few of the things that she had dropped but stopped when he realized the person he was handing the items too was staring at him in literal slack jawed amazement.
The two of them looked at each other for an uncomfortable long time before Franklin decided to try and prompt her "I'm sorry I bumped into you. Are you alright?"
With a start the Alien Woman realized that she was staring in literal open mouthed shock. "Oh yes, I'm sorry it was my fault I wasn't watching where I was going. Thank you." She finished accepting the packages that he was handing to her. "If you don't mind my asking you are a human right?"
"Yes, I am. I arrived with the delegation a few days ago. My name is Franklin, and you are?"
"My name is Elara." She said with a small bow of her head.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Elara." Said Franklin mimicking her shallow bow.
"It's nice to meet you too." The Asari said slowly. "Tell me Franklin are you looking for anything? I mean can I help you find something? Not that you look like you need help finding anything of course. You look perfectly at ease here, not lost at all…." She said her words coming out faster and faster before she trailed off with what Franklin assumed was a look of panic on her face.
"Thank you for the offer, that is very kind of you. The truth is I'm not actually sure what it is that I'm looking for, or where it is that I should looking for it."
"Well that would make it hard to find anything." Elara said with some regained calm, "Fortunately the Citadel has everything from every part of the Galaxy. Whatever you want to do or experience I am sure there is a place to find it here."
"Well I'm actually working now. I'm supposed to learn about cultures, peoples. What they enjoy, what they think about… what they think about us. I guess I'm just supposed to get to know some people."
"Oh, that's wonderful. This is your job then? You sound very lucky; I can't think of a better place than the citadel to be paid to talk to people."
"Yes, I was very surprised when I was given this assignment." He said trying not to look to happy with himself. "I wasn't sure if anyone would know who or what I was actually"
"Really?" Elara asked her all too human eyes widening in what was unmistakably surprise. "For the Asari all first contacts no matter how small are a reason to celebrate and this is not a small first contact. This is the biggest thing to happen on the citadel in centuries." After a moments consideration she continued "If you were looking to talk to people, I was going to meet my friends. We would love it if you would join us, I mean if you'd like to."
"That sounds great I'd love to, but are you sure I wouldn't be imposing?"
"Of course not, your people are celebrities. My friends will be thrilled to have the chance to meet you."
"That sounds perfect, thank you for inviting me." Said Franklin with a smile.
"The honour is all mine" Said Elara with a beaming smile, after a moment her blue cheeks darkened into a purple and she ducked her head in a deeper bow than before. "Although I must apologize, I will be meeting them a little far away from here."
"I don't mind, I'd love to see more of the Citadel, and having such a guide sounds great. I'm in your hands." Said Franklin not really thinking about what he was saying.
Elara blushed even more deeply than before and bowed far deeper than before and sai,. "Then please come with me and I will do my best to take care of you."
