Tales of the Galaxy: The Non Cits of Blue Moon- With Links



The Non Cits of Blue Moon

by Alex Cunningham © 5030

As Union Citizen the door to the Universe is wide open. We don't think twice if we place a GalNet call clear to Andromeda to chat a few hours with our old College buddy. Take a TransMatter trip from one planet to another just to go for dinner.

If we are angry about something, the next library gives us access to the OOP and we know our problem is carried all the way to the Assembly if there is no answer or solution available.

A colleague of mine once lost his PDD along with his credit strip. The Citizen Office took care of everything. He received a room at the local Portel, the Union Bank sent him a new credit strip, informed the local police who took the unimportant case of a lost PDD serious enough to check the local second hand shops, pawn shops and ran a GalNet search on PDDs offered for sale in the region and actually located it.

All it took was a call to the Citizens Office.

This and many similar examples illustrate how serious our Union takes its citizens. No matter how little or how big the issue might be.

Recently I returned from a long trip all the way from Tomb World (see :”The Chamber of the Seven Giants ” Issue 5 / 5030) My line ship arrived after a long trip along the Spinward-Coreward HHW. Even bussier than usual, our berth was still occcupied so the ship was diverted to Port II Blue Moon System, Blue Moon.

From there I planed to jump to the BM Terminal, using a local TMT.

Crossing the Space Port terminal on foot rather than using a ride bot or a slide way was a decision I made frequently after I arrived from a long assignment beyond Union Space. I loved and greatly enjoyed my work, visiting exotic,strange and often primitive worlds and societies, but whenever I returned I felt the need to “absorb a bit of Union ” as I called it. No better place to do that was a busy Class A port.

It always filled me with a little collective pride in our civilization. Oh I had visited the busy and colorful markets at N'Ger, seen the throngs of pilgrims milling through the tent rows and stalls on Netlor , but nothing in my opinion had the same feeling of orderly chaos than a Union Port. Well to be truthful the word orderly did not apply to all Union Ports, and everyone will agree who had ever been to Port 1 at Frank Elmore planet in the Ross 248 system on an Eightday after payday, ( Issue 2/ 5025 “Elmore's Chaos ”)

It was not just the fact that I could see Boloths interact with the recently added Mini Terrans, or see a line of exciting Archas lining up at Baskin Robbins. It was perhaps the feeling of belonging and the realization that all these beings were like me Union Citizens. The Holdian over there was as confident and had the same rights as the Xiptin flowing between the crowds.

A fragile looking almost translucent beauty of the Delicates arguing with a Pertharian, there could hardly be a greater contrast and yet both beings followed the same laws. A gorgeous Garbini with fire red fur squiggled a Terran (had to be, he wore Sunglasses ) unashamed an in the open.

Treating myself to an Archa Special, a triple gob soft serve, dipped in white,dark and caramel chocolate from Arthur's. I slowly made my way to the Trans Matter Tunnels, I was thinking about those big spiders who suddenly became synonymous with ice cream and decided that there might be a story worth telling. Halfway done with my Archa Special and not far from the local TMT, I noticed a group of individuals loitering in one of the rec and rest park islands. The ones featuring trees and grass. You know the kind you see on almost every larger port.

I had seen groups like them countless times, noticed them as I passed by and forgotten about them the next second. Sometimes they would ask for money or even shout insults usually profanity laden rants against anything Union. Mostly however keeping quiet and out of sight.

Gal Drifts, non citizen parasites , infesting in usually small groups the passenger terminals of Space Ports.

It was a colorful group, but except for a Jooltar sitting by a tree humanoid. About thirty scattered in smaller groups talking,drinking, pestering citizens passing by or simply sitting there.

As random sourced their clothing was,it had a common theme: Dirty, customized with patches, paint, crude made jewelry,shirts with anti Union slogans, and pieces and bits of Union military uniforms.

A tall Andorian was sitting on a concrete block, a little to the side and by himself.

Here was a society right at the center of the Union with their own rules and customs. Instead of traveling to yet another exotic location, maybe here was a story to be told.

My wife still on Para Para, my new story already filed with my editor. I decided to take a closer look. There was a train to Sol Hub every hour, so I was not pressed for time.

I crossed the short distance and approached the Andorian.

He noticed me. “Citizen an you spare a few creds ?”

“Yes I can.” And I swiped ten into his worn looking Cred strip.”I am Alex Cunningham of the Galactographic Magazine. I am contemplating a feature on Gal Drifts. Would you be willing to help me with that?”

His name was Aljoss, he did not give me a second name and explained that, only some of the beings here were Gal Drifts. He was a Non Cit.

Right there and then I learned that not all Gal Drifts were Non Cits, and not all Non Cits were Gal Drifts.

He also told me that the Good Brothers would serve dinner in about an hour.

I was confused and asked him if he was hungry. The idea that there were beings within the Union who could not afford the food they needed never crossed my mind., I had seen hunger on Netlor and Kaliment, seen the deplorable conditions in the slums of N'Ger , but that was outside the Union., Not here on Blue Moon , which was one of the most developed Core systems.

“I am lucky if I make 20 credits a day, panhandling. My Pod room at Chill towers sets me back 600 credits every standard month. Add the 150 credits Air Fee and I have 200-250 credits a month to live on. There a days I don't eat, especially when I had a bad day panhandling.”

I was always under the impression Gal Drifts and Non Cits are in this situation by their own free choice. Could you not take the test and become a Citizen?

“Some are, some are not. I was a citizen. Don't want to talk about it.”

“The Good Brothers are they a charitable organization?”

“If you mean they do it for free,your wrong. Space Port authority pays them for every head the feed.”

“Maybe the best way to understand more about this, is If I experience it myself. Do you think it will work?”

“College kids do it all the time, drifting I mean. Most of them had enough of it after a day, but some do it for a while. A few even become real drifts. Non Cits are always real.”

Be my guide for a day or two and I make sure you got enough to pay the rent for a few month.”

“Deal.”

He looked me up and down.”You smell Cit for a light year. Go store your fancy gear and meet me here. After I ate we go to Panjo and get you some stuff to wear. If you want to experience the whole thing you might wanna rough it for a night or two. Can get mighty cold in the on this frigid moon.”

I agreed to all.

At one of the Portels, I rented a room, called my wife and my editor telling them what I was doing. My editor liked it, my wife was not so enthused, but I had been to Slave markets, Freespace planets and real dangerous places. This was Blue Moon.”

I had left everything behind, my London brand travel suit and coat. Instead I wore the still dusty coverall I had worn while climbing and crawling through the caves and caverns of Tomb World. My SII Pro-Dat PDD in a pocket instead on my wrist.

Finally I made sure my eye recorder was working. Making a copy of all images my eyes send to my brain. The occu cam hook up to my Motorola data brain was as usually working flawless. Of course the robo cam had much better quality and more options but a 200,000 credit Sony Robo Cam was perhaps not suitable for this little project.

I returned to the rec park just in time to see a boxy inside floater descending. It had a logo of two human hands offering bread .A S-10 robot, a Quadi Ped and what appeared to be a Saran male handing out prepacked dirt cheap Enroe Insta dinners. Sold all across the Union for about 2 credits. Green for lefties and red for righties. The Saran held a PDD in clipboard mode and seemed to tally what was handed out. The Robot and both beings wore brown robes.

The Quadi Ped said to the Saran. “There is a new Leech. Looks like a Green Carbon and NiOx for sure.”

“Perfect, an even forty tonight.”

The Quadi Ped took a green box from the robot and held it out to me.”There you go, Leech .”

“Leech?”

“A parasite just like you. Now take the dinner or move on. We got two more stops to do .”

I took it and he paid no more attention to me. To the Saran he said. “Going to watch the game tonight?”

The two taked as if the beings weren't there. As the last box was handed out they left.

The other Non Cits and Gal Drifts paid little attention to me. Two of the Gal Drifts clearly displayed the outer symptoms of Califerm addiction.

A little concerned I found Aljoss who was sitting on a bench wolfing down the Syntho beef stew .”

“They let Califerm users wander around like that?”

“Those two? They're clean. They are Shells. Force decon, 23 days quarantine and kicked out. One gram each, got caught. Getting decontaminated like that, is the closest thing to torture but they won't touch the stuff again.”

“Is it the pain or something that prevent them?”

Aljoss rolled his eyes and licked the plastic container clean.”No they were caught with God smack. Death or Psycho. They got Psycho and since they are Non Cits, the P Surgeon didn't bother to give them a new one. All that's left is a Persona Shell or something. They supposed to leave a Hypno Block to prevent them touching Califerm. But P-Surgeons are real assholes sometimes. Watch!”

Aljoss waved at the two, until they looked at him. Alex had seen dead bodies with more expression in their face, the Andorian said “Care for some Califerm?”

Like if someone cut their invisible strings, the two former drug users collapsed to the ground. I wanted to call for help, but Aljoss held me back, no worries they be up and about in an hour or so.”

I sat down and gave him my dinner. “Care for one more?”

“Normally I would not say no, but since this is your lesson being a Non Cit this dinner box will come handy for you tonight.”

“Alright, I hang onto it, “

“So what level of Non Cit you want to know about it? “

“There are levels?”

“Oh yes there are, but since you are not a real Non Cit and you pay me for this. I think I treat myself to a real coffee and an Andorian Spice Ball. I only do that three or four times a year. We can sit outside at Andor Treats and I tell you more about Non Cits and all that.”

“Sounds like a plan. Lead the way then.”

Aljoss went up and walked over to the Jooltar. “Wac, I am showing the new guy around a little. He just drifted in. Are you going to be around for a while?”

The Jooltar, member of a Non Union species that lived on the far end of Freespace. Galactic East of the Karthanians and somewhere between the Shattered Kingdoms. Union scientist believe they are related to the Attikan and have been part of the Ongloran Federation before it fell apart. They were classified as Union Neutral -2 as my Data Brain reminded me. Meaning the Foreign Affairs Council considered them not hostile to the Union, but not overly friendly.[1]

The Jooltar had rust colored fur all over and the overall features were often described to resemble what a Werewolf of Old Terran faery tales and myths might have looked like.

The Jooltar was leaning against one of the park trees reading to my secret delight an old worn phys-copy of Galactographic Magazine. “Yes, Aljoss I stay here until maintenance shows up.”

“Can you keep an eye on my stuff till we're back?”

“Sure thing.”

Aljoss placed his sizable back pack next to the one of the Jooltar, who displayed only very mild curiosity about me.”Drifted in today?”

“Yes.”

“Might be a while till you can drift on, Blue Moon is getting tighter every year.”

With that he appeared to lose interest and returned reading.

The Andorian motioned me to follow him.”Wac has drifted in about two or three years ago, overstayed his Visitor visa and hopes the Jooltar join the Union while he is still around.”

“Why did he not try to Immigrate ? Individuals regardless of species are accepted.”

Aljoss who was nearly four meter tall when he stood upright looked down to me.”Union bureaucracy is the reason. He applied for a Visitors Visa first and stated he intended to return before it expired. He missed the dead line to return and thus committed a Visitor's Offense. According to Union logic he potentially lied for the reason of his visit and first has to apply for a new Visitors Visa before he can ask for the Immigration process.”

“And why is he not doing that?”

“He can only file for a new one, if he leaves Union Space and applies for re-entry permission at one of the Union Checkpoints .”

“And?”

“Alex, we are in the Blue Moon system. One of the Unions busiest traffic hubs but do you know what a Space Bus ticket to the nearest Checkpoint costs?”

“Not really, but you could travel by bus all the way to Distant Shores for no more than 300 credits.”

“A Union Citizen can, Proto Citizens can. We pay full price and in his case it's about 8,000 credits.”

“Eight Thousand? For that you can get an A Deck cruise to Para Para.”

“Exactly and even if he had the money. He still needs to get a Travel ID which he can only get with a valid Visitor Visa. Now he could ask to be deported, but he would have to stay in a Deportation hold and wait till a transport leaves for N'Ger or Itheamh .There are no direct trade routes to any Jooltar world. “

While he talked he was walking and tried to slow his gait, so I did not have to run keeping up.

“I see the difficulties.”

“No you don't even begin to see his difficulties. There aren't that many detention centers. So chances are he is sent to a real prison. If he is lucky they arrange for a transport to N'Ger or Itheamh in a year or so. Has to be a civilian ship too. So there is a good chance the Civilian sells him as a slave, Togar pay good coin for Jooltar or he is captured on N'Ger. If he goes to Itheamh it's the Smelter Moons for sure.”

“That is really terrible.”

Aljoss stopped to give me time to catch my breath. “Now if in al this he really manages to reach a Jooltar world he is screwed, because he is wanted there for deserting.“

“What happens if the Police arrests him?”

“Well as long as he stays within the space port, he is in a gray area. Technically he is leaving, just waiting for a connection to his destination. There are no limitations as how long a traveler waits for a connection or travel documents to be completed. He and others like him use this loop hole to stay. The Non Cit drifts use it all across the Union. That's why you always run into them on Ports and very rarely outside.”

He stopped before a fast food place with a dozen tables outside. A blue project-a-sign identified it as Andor Treats.

Aljoss added.”Of course if he even so much as sneezes in a way the Authority doesn't like, He's arrested anyway. He lives in constant fear.”

“Are there many like him?”

“I have no way of guessing, but I assume there are about hundred or two hundred like them on the ports of Blue Moon and I could imagine there are similar numbers on every big port. But even the smallest things tend to be huge if you look at them on Union scale.”

According to my data brain, there were about 60 Billion Non Cits known to reside within the Union. He was right, seen as percentage compared to the Citizen population, a miniscule number. Seen by its own a huge problem.

I went with him inside.

The restaurant was staffed with robots and live beings. The decor typical for a fast food place with stylized elements of the Andorian culture. Despite it serving Andorian food, Aljoss was the only one in sight.

Most of the interior was on purpose non Vari form. Chairs counters and tables were built with Andorian height in mind. To me it always felt s if I had suddenly shrunk to dwarf size. Of course this effect was one of the restaurants attractions. Tiny lift platforms mechanical or field established allowed access to the tall chairs and tables.

At the counter, normal for him and me standing on a lifter he ordered a cup of coffee and two Spice Balls.

Since I traveled the Union for a living. I knew of the Andorian cuisine, but then Andorian food was very popular all across the Union. While I loved Andorian BBQ, I wasn't a big fan of Spice Balls.

These Tennis Ball sized dough rolls had a gooey filling made of raisin like fruits and a very strong spice that was somewhere between cinnamon, cayenne pepper and anise , and fiery hot.

He ordered them extra spicy and asked me if I want some as well.

Not being brave enough, I settled for a dozen crisp meats, mild dip and a large green apple Guzzle .”

The lid sign advertised our menu choices and total of Nine credits.

I said to the Thauran order taker.”There must be a mistake. Our order can't be more than five at most.”

The Thauran pointed to Aljoss Credit strip. “There is no mistake if he pays with that.”

Out of curiosity I pulled mine and the Thauran smiled.” That be 4.98 Sir.”

We took our food to one of the Andorian tower tables and after we sat down, he showed me his green colored credit strip.”Consolidated Credit Services is a private bank. They charge 2.50 per transaction. Many businesses add a service charge because they say it causes them extra work to deal with it. Union Bank Accounts are only for cits. CCS sells Credit Boxes, starting at a 1000 credits.”

He closed his eyes with an expression of bliss on his face as he took his first bite.

I started on my crisps and remembered why I liked them. Coarse fried, tender beef strips with a spicy note.

He had finished both Spice Balls and sipped on his coffee. Listened for a moment to the haunting Andorian flute music playing in the background and said.”Now let me tell you a little about the different kinds of Non Cits. First off are the Gal Drifts. The majority of them aren't Non Cits. They are usually kids with very liberal, anti war and military views who find it romantic to live a time unbound by rules of society. Ninety percent of them find out and usually within the first week or so that they are just as free as Union Citizens and that this lifestyle isn't for them. About five percent are Union Citizens, living on the 500 credits they can get if they ask for it, don't do much else but travel around, space bus tickets are cheap to them, they have virtually no restrictions .If they run out of money and they are hungry, they go to the Citizen Office, and get a pass to any of the canteens provided for Union service personnel .”

He pointed through the window .”That Saran over there, drifts for almost sixty years. He looks like a Non Cit bum, but he eats at the Space Port Authority staff canteen, or sometimes even at the Fleet post. He served his 22 month with the fleet and never misses the Union Week Celebration dinners at the post. He has a Union Bank Account and he votes at least once a year on the Union Wide. Of course he always votes against anything, but he votes. If he wants to go home to Petra from where he is from. He gets a free ticket and Portel accommodations till his bus leaves.

If he decides to stay, the citizen office finds him a place. He only drifts because this is what he wants to do. Eccentric but not a Non Cit.

That Thauran who served us, is a Union Resident. He went to school and all that but did not want to serve. He claims his father was a Thauran noble and was hanged a few years back, during that big scandal when their Emperor was found guilty of dealing with the Worm .("The Thauran Scandal " - Spiral News (c) 5019)

He has no love for the Union and don't want to serve it. He is registered, has a Resident ID and as long as he doesn't travel too much he's almost as good as a Citizen. Of course he has to pay for whatever Union services that are free to Citizens.”

He looked at his ancient Apple PDD .”We better go to Panjo before they close. We got lots of time before the Park closes for maintenance, but Panjo closes at twelve hour. It's a good way from here so I tell you on the way”

I jumped the two meters to the ground, landed softly due to the safety cushion field the chair enabled as I jumped and said.”You're my guide.”

Outside the restaurant he motioned me to join him on a slide belt.”This is the Main Connector. The North slide we are on takes us to Space Port I. The South slide can take you all the way to Port V. If you take the trip om the slide. It takes two days to get there.”

“Two days. Why even built a Slide that long?

“No one really takes the whole trip to V, but the belt connects all the ports and cities in between. It is a convenient way to send low priority freight and of course it gives Ultras that are too big for TPMs a way to travel between ports. Boloths are usually to big for the Trans planet movers and large skimmers are not free. Besides its about as expensive to built interrupted segments than it is to make it one piece.”

The further we moved away from the main passenger terminal of Port II the fewer individuals were around us. This part of the port appeared to be for logistics and freight purposes, Robots and Cargo drones dropped small containers or boxes on the slide way. Beings in various work uniform left or hopped on. Clearly not passengers but employees and workers.

A robot vendor floated against the flow and offered snacks, beers and drinks.

Aljoss raised a seat column and sat down. “Might as well do the same, It's a good 30 minutes to Port I.”

“Surely the TPMs are big enough for you,right?”

“Big enough yes, and free for you. I am charged a Credit each way,” Now if I would be in a real hurry, I take the TMT. Instant travel and instantly 10 credits poorer.”

“Local TMTs are only free at Sares Prime ,Sol System  Pluribus and Ross Torus. I think they charge Citizens here as well. TMTs are not Union wide subsidized. But I know what you trying to tell me.”

“Alex, the Union does not want Non Cits or Residents and does everything to encourage them to become Citizens, but in order to claim to be a free society they can not force anyone. So they do it this way.”

I simply nodded as what he said made sense.

“Now I told you about Drifts at the restaurant. What I forgot to mention are the Real Drifts. Individuals who out of conviction, political reasons or by simply growing up as Drifts do not go to schools, refuse service or resident registration. They are Non Cits for life and mostly out of choice. The Drift movement is small but exists for thousands of years. They have their traditions and habits and all. A few decades ago, when militant drifts resorted to Terror attacks, like the fanatics of the Free Gore movement. There were Corporate sponsored Cleansing teams secretly killing many thousands. While it is of course against the law. I don't think the Union Police investigated even one murder for real.

Just then a Pertharian hopped on the belt and grunted. “Non Cit scum .” His tone was threatening and being threatened by a Pertharian was unsettling to say the least.

The four armed giant however moved on to a different slide segment, but his comment earned us disapproving, openly hostile stares from a Spindlar and a Human female nearby.

Aljoss said.”It is as if they could smell it. Citizens for the most part dislike Drifts and Non Cits.”

“I never really gave it much thought. I never paid much attention to Drifts.”But I realized I too had a negative attitude towards Non Cits, if I was honest. The word alone had a definite negative meaning for me.

I was not sure but I had the feeling he knew what I was thinking. He sighed and then said.”Now let me tell you about the other Non Cits. Drifters that got stuck for a while at one place.Criminals on the run, Criminals with convictions that are not quite felonies, convicts with sentences, union, corporate and local runners. Then there are druggies who became addicted before they became citizens, Criminals who are wanted locally somewhere and try to hide and finally the kids and offspring of these. Of course technically every visitor is a Non Cit as well, especially if they stay longer than intended.

Up until the Big One we called them Illegal Immigrants, but since the Union Citizen Act is not based on your place of birth or society association. We only have immigrants. The handful that fail the test three times are deported, or turn into Non Cits as well.”

He got up stowed his seat column and said. “We are almost there.”.

The slide belt had carried us through a featureless tunnel with occasional exits,. But now the Tunnel got wider and the walls were lined with small businesses.

He gestured to get off and he did a second after me. After I had crossed the deceleration belts, I looked around. The belt tunnel stretched in a long line to seemingly infinity from where we came fro and moved on into the widening regions of a sub surface city and Port 1 as a big sign confirmed.

Blue Moon was the first world settled in the system. The Star, originally had a different name, but because Blue Moon was at an almost equidistant position to the four founding civilizations, It was always referred to Blue Moon, the name stuck and became official.

The system consisted of Nine Planets, fourteen major Moons, 22 Planetoids, 1 Asteroid Belt and one matter cloud and every floating rock big enough to put a foot on was utilized or occupied.

Blue Moon was actually not a planet but a large moon around Blue Shepherd, a gas giant. Blue Moon was a frigid world but it had a few species of local lichen and an oxygen atmosphere.

There were vast ice covered oceans with very salty water.

The moon first and over time the entire system became one of the most important traffic hubs of the Union.

The world had five Class A ports, but Port 1 was primarily a logistics port.

It was cold here, quite cold.

The businesses had names like :Gugor Salvage, Blue Moon Bio Solids , All Meats Inc and one painted sign identified the business below Panjo-Everything used- Buy and Sell.

A jumble of Boxes, Crates and racks was spilled in a somewhat chaotic fashion before its open roll gate and part of a metal wall closing of the arched alcove cut into the rock of the moon.

One box was filled with bowls and pots. Several bundles of broken wood crate slats stacked next to the door., a crate held robot parts, including the head of a S-10 with active moving eyes.

A row of worn out Terran All Terrains none of them a matching pair.

Aljoss went straight to the gate.”Panjo buys and sells everything that might still be of value.”

the cave like shop behind the gate was a Universe by itself. Shelves to the ceiling stuffed with things, there was not a spot anywhere on the walls without something hanging from it.

Towards the back behind a almost completely buried counter stood stood an Oromal doing business with a Chrome skinned Homo Stellaris, only his skin had lost its luster,.It was dull anywhere it showed trough the shoddy space suit, He had to be a Stellaris if he used this in space like environments.

Between them a Wilson Vaccu Baller.

I heard the Oromal say.”I give you 50 credits for it. The best I can do.

The Stellaris accepted received the creds and went past us.

The Oromal took the expensive launcher and placed it on top of a pile of other things.”Aljoss what can I do for you?”

“My friend here just drifted in, no warm pad so he's roughing it .”

“Don't look like he has much to trade. Got any credits?”

“A few”

The Oromal with the unusual name sighed.”Alright, go to the pile, take what you need and I do what I can on the price.”

“Can I ask what Panjo stands for?”

“That was my grandfather's name. Since Oromal names are a tad long for signs. He shortened Panajrriotitchi Petrubxtaso into Panjo and that's what we call ourselves ever since.”

I thanked him and joined Aljoss who were digging through items as if he knew what he was looking for. Panjo paid no longer much interest to us. I saw he visited the Xchange Galnet site and checked Vaccu Ballers.

“What is it we are getting?”

“Warm things, a good bag , A sleeping bag with a working element and if you can afford it a good knife.”

The Oromal said.”I got a good moon bag, element is working and good for at least 100 nights”

Aljoss said.”Would be perfect. How much?”

“Science Corps quality it is. I could get 100 credits for it, but I have always been a softie when it comes to Non Cits, I let you have it for 50, that's what I paid for.”

Aljoss looked at me.”Panjo is a cut throat for the most part, but he means what he said. Fifty is a good price. Can you afford it?”

“Just get me what you think I need. No worries about the price, but I since I came that far. I don't want to be the best equipped Non Cit, if you know what I mean?”

“The moon bag means you survive the night. I will be with you to make sure. Smart Non Cits without a warm pad here on Blue Moon do anything to get a bag similar to it. So its all good.”

Panjo who listened but did not understand the meaning said.”I don't want to hear you froze to death because you did not have the creds. You can have it, and pay me whenever you can hassle it up.”

Touched by it, I said.”Thank you Mr. Panjo .”

After another hour of digging,Aljoss had filled a sizable back pack with an assortment of clothing.. I wore an old Union Army coat, the patch of the Corps of engineers was torn of, but the distinctive shape had left a darker spot on the green durafab. Panjo had traded my Nike executive travel shoes for a pair of color mismatched Terran All Terrain boots.

Panjo said.”Well if you ever come back, you can pay me in installments. For business reasons I say you owe me two hundred credits. But don't spread the word or I am out of business giving my merchandise away.”

“Panjo, the Nike Executives you just got, are worth about 1000 credits new, I only say that so you know what to look for on GalNet. Most likely I won't be back so I am of course pay you.”

I took my credit strip and swiped three hundred in his pay point .”

“You are not a Non Cit. Drifting for fun eh?”

“Something like that.”

–

Back on the Slide connector rolling back. Aljoss said. “Well you look the part now for sure, but be careful who you tell that you not a drift or a Non. Those Drifts that do it fun never go where we go next. Cits or Pretend Drifts are not welcome there.”

“I understand.”

“Now comes your next lesson. Drifts and Nons sleep at places we call pads. Those who can afford it rent a Pod room at the Chill towers. Then there are those who belong to Drift clubs and port gangs.

The pretender Drifts actually have an association with membership fees and a news letter. They have a list of Drift pads. Safe sleeping places for every port, but only members are allowed there.

Real Drifts who doing this thing for ages often belong to Drift Clubs and they know good warm pads, know where to get what, know freights where you can stow. Some smuggle drugs and are organized like syndicates. I know of ten or twelve of these Clubs and they don't get along with each other too well. If you choose one of them, you sleep warm, relative safe, but you choose that for life. And no matter where you drift, you might run into one of your old buddies. You better not be member of another club. Those are all Non Cits and no one is going to miss one.”

I was listening speechless, there was an entire world right below us, a world I didn't know existed.

But I waved the floating vent bot over and he thankfully accepted a cup of coffee.

He held the cup between his hands. It was still very cold.

“Why is it so cold?”

“The tunnels between the ports aren't heated. It's still only about ten minus in the middle and gets warmer the closer you get to the ports. It's below two hundred on the surface and warms to a balmy minus one thirty at the equator when we swing around to face Blue Moon star .” He ripped the disolver strip of the now empty cup, and watched it as the activated chemicals reduced the cup to dust.”Warm pads are places within the Space port or the city that stay warm and the Authority don't mind, doesn't care or isn't looking. The Port gangs are usually smaller groups of Non Cits and the better pads are claimed by them. Getting into those gangs takes a while. They also want you to share what you have. Most of these gangs want you to steal, pick pockets and they never last. Security investigates and if their caught it's bad news.”

We had reached the port again. He got up asked me to do the same and we left the belt. Not far from the Andorian restaurant.

He checked his PDD. “Still lots of time to kill, till they start maintenance.”

After he got his bag and thanked the Jooltar, who was half asleep he and I settled on the Concrete block.

“I guess you don't want to hustle It's not against the law if you do it passive. The aggressive way some of the gangs want you to do, is a good chance for the Authority to show and check Ids.”

“At least not for now. I would rather hear more.”

“Alright. I told you about those Port Gangs and why it is not a good idea to associate with them. About three month ago, a member of the Blue Vermins swiped the jacket of a Fleet Officer. Took the Federal Police two hours to find the thief. Rumors had it a Leedei of the PSI Corps did the checking. All thirty four Vermins were arrested,. The thief was sent to Brisbane so I heard, no one knows what happened to the others.”

“Never a good idea to mess with the Fleet.” I agreed.

“Even those Anti Union Drifts, know better. They heckle police and insult citizens. Nothing really happens, the moment one of these morons starts insulting the fleet. Citizens get real irate.”

“Where do others sleep then?”

“I am getting to that. Warm pads are rare and usually taken or claimed. What is left are the cold pads. Places in unheated areas.”

“The Slide belt tunnel?”

“The Authority does not permit it. There is no place to hide and they send sweep bots down the sides.

But long ago when they built this port, there are two old material elevators. Big mechanical platforms that still work. You'll see.”

“Are you not going to your warm pad in that Chill Tower ?”

“We swing by it for my old sleeping bag. I can't let you do this on your own.”

Aljoss got up and talked to the Jooltar. Wac got up, seemed excited and left.

My new friend said.”Wac is afraid to panhandle and has no pad. He roughs it every night. Mostly by walking around till he can go back to the park, Since I don't use my pod tonight. I told him he can use it.”

“He really got the short end of the stick.” I said.

“Yes even among the Non Cits.”

“Can I ask what you guys are doing all day long. Even drifting seems boring, I mean after you seen two or three space ports, you seen all the variety there is.”

“And that is the main reason those kid drifts quit. I get up at four hour every day and check if they have a day job listed at the Xchange. Two or three times a month the XChange receives and extra round tripper and then the regular staff and the robo resources are maxed out. I get a job for a day or two.

If not I go scavenging the first 4 days of the week and the rest of the week I am here “

“What is a round tripper?”

“You know almost every Union planet has an Xchange. Local products are offered to the Union market via the Xchange net. Individual items of value may also be offered .Each Xchange is visited on regular intervals by a freighter that picks up all the smaller items that have been collected in the warehouse of the Xchange. That freighter is called the round tripper. Now in some cases there is more volume than the regular round tripper can take on. A second extra ship is sent. Since Blue Moon System is this sectors Xchange hub and the Union Post Office main hub, it happens that more of these freighters arrive than the system can handle. Physical mail comes first and the Xchange sends robots and personnel to help. Non Cits are by law prohibited to touch Union Mail but allowed to help out on the XChange sorting lines. A days work earns me 40 creds.”

“For all day work?”

“Yes because if they had to pay more they could rent extra robots.”

“And what is there to scavenge?”

“Busted wood crates at the produce ware houses. Some planets ship their produce in real wood crates. Someone told me that customers think produce in wooden crates is more natural and traditional, thus gets better prices. Panjo gives me a credit for each five kilo bundle.

We also scavenge for Space Vermin.

“Not as common as it used to be, but for a bucket of rats. We can get 3-4 credits. Panjo pays us ten for a Bonglee .”

“I didn't know we have a vermin problem on Union Space ports”

“It's not really a problem. Union regulations and hygiene laws are strict and followed, but Blue Moon is a very busy traffic hub for a very long time. Things do get transferred.

There are robots and service companies doing nothing else but pest control,still there are cracks and corners not checked. Wac is very good at that .”

“There was an article on the Bonglee in our magazine a few years back. They aren't harmless.”("Transparent Monsters " 6/5022)

“Bonglee are hard to see and poisonous, but they are not dangerous if you know what to look for. Besides they are becoming extinct, at least on Blue Moon. Haven't found one in three month.”

He rolled up his sleeve and showed me a scar that spiraled up his underarm all the way to his elbow.”This is what a Talag Ice Eel leaves behind if you loose your grip. Without Wac, I'd be dead or at least a one armed Non.”

“For Mickey's sake. That looks bad. Why did it leave behind a scar?”

“About a thousand years ago, a shipment of Talag Eels got loose. There are a few stories how it happened. Talag Eels thrive in the oceans of Blue Moon as they hunt for Van Dover shrimp.

The colonies of Blue Moon used to take water and minerals out of the oceans. A few Eels made it inside. You know these slimy pests are fast, quite smart and can cross large distances out of the water and infested the algae and shrimp farms at Shepherd's View.

There isn't a real infestation of these anymore of course but every year they find an illegal eel farm somewhere and there are always eels escaping.

Authority pays 20 credits bounty per Eel and 100 credits reward for finding an Illegal farm. So naturally we are always on the lookout for these. They are very strong and their under bellies has a natural ice saw. What this saw does to an arm you can see.”

“I can understand all this of course. Many years ago when I did a report on Green Hell. A Ninja Weasel took my arm clear off, but my new arm is as good as the old. Even the pigmentation has adjusted. Nothing but my memory and that report reminds me off it “(“The deadliest pets ” Issue 2/5018)

“You know that Non Cits only get medical help for free if it is a life threatening case? A wounded arm isn't life threatening. Wac bandaged it and it healed like that. I didn't have the creds to pay the 200 for a Derma Patch. I spend my share of the reward on the first aid kit.”

“I think I raise that issue with the OOP. First aid must be free to everyone.”

“You think they care enough about Non Cits?”

I didn't say it out loud to him but I am a citizen and if I feel the issue isn't addressed I can go all the way. Besides our magazine is read by hundred billion subscribers every month and many more watch it on GalNet.

As an answer I gave him a shrug. I did not want him to realize that much of what he told me would be read and heard by so many. At least not before I had completed this project.

“You've been to Green Hell and survived it?”

“I didn't go outside into the jungles,but I disregarded the warning of a Greenie petting his animal without him permitting it. Long story short. Ninja Weasels only look cute.”

“Well that's one thing you don't have to consider with Talag Eels, they do not even look cute on a dinner plate.”

“Anything that crawls, wiggles or moves seems to be eaten by someone.”

“Why do you think there are illegal farms. These wigglers are considered delicacies by at least a dozen species and are allowed to be raised and sold only by special licensed companies.”

“That dangerous?”

“No but their antifreeze blood contains a chemical that makes it very lethal to any warmblooded carbon based life form.”

“Why not scavenge every day and why isn't anyone doing it?”

“Because to get where they are every day, you need to take the Surface Mono. The big supply floaters only go there one or twice a week.” To answer my second question by gesturing across the other Drifts. Do you think they be doing that if they wanted to work? Stealing, begging and shop lifting is much easier. Drifts regardless if they pretends or real are not forced to drift. Granted their kids often don't know any better, but most of them could get up walk to the next GalNet terminal and get the process started becoming a citizen.”

Of all the things he told me, this was the hardest to believe.”Why don't they”

“I don't know the real reason and don't understand the philosophy behind it. Drifters have existed in all of human history and the phenomenon is known to many civilizations. If it would be something that could be understood. I am sure the Union would take measures to change the conditions that lead to drifting. Remember what I said. Not all Drifters are Non Cits and not all Non Cits are drifters.”

He nodded toward a shaggy looking man with particular filthy hair. Go ask the Professor, he is one of those Gal Drifts that do it out of conviction.

As we talked a group of four human Gal Drifts came walking across the polished stone floor of the space port terminal and stepped on the fifty meter grass circle with trees concrete blocks and benches of this park oasis.

They looked around apparently checking who else was there.

Aljoss explained, that is the Professor and some of his friends. He is one of those who is Anti Union. I wager he comes out of a line that drifts for generations.

See these young kids over at the other side. The ones gathered around the green skinned one?”

“Yes looks like a Sunflorian .”

“Respect you do know your Union, Alex. Do you know the Sunflower colony, used to be a breeding ground for Gal Drifts. Some say it even started there. Anyway that kid is the leader of the Killer Eels and the group gathered around him are his troops. Usually a very loud and boisterous crowd but the Authority arrested two of them just them just the other day. His name Grogy Brown, annoying as hell. “

“And those over there, they all wear the same red head scarfs. Another gang?”

“No those are the Bad News, one of the clubs I told you. They have chapters all over the Union and I would not be surprised if they have a million members. Non Cits and drifters on the surface, but criminals below.”

“The Police doesn't know that?”

“They do, but these gangs carefully avoiding to break Union laws, especially the big ones. So they do local crimes and thanks to their connections manage to drift away before they get caught.”

I blinked. “That means I could steal a skimmer murder someone and just move to another planet and be off the hook?”

“Alex I think you either slept in Union school or missed that class. First of all if you commit murder on another Union citizen, it is automatically a Union Felony. Technically and by your duties as Union citizen you are expected to march to the next Court Clerk and turn yourself in. Now if you do not do that, and they find out it was you. You go on the Union Wide wanted list. You can try to flee and hide and you are what we call a Union Runner. If you run and hide anywhere in the fringes, you might indeed make it, but you better not use your CITI to travel, use your Bank account, or any other services you take for granted as citizen. If you have several million in Cred Boxes and you know a good connector. You may obtain a new CITI, but despite the claims of the forgers. They almost impossible to fake. The Kermac try it for a long time and put almost as much effort in it as the Union tried to make it safe. As far as I know they are still trying. Sure they raise spies from real citizens, use brain transplants and what not. But in the long run they always found. The simple reason is not the tech in the CITI, any sufficiently advanced civilization can fake that. It's the data on the other side that needs to match. Your fake ID must match your data and the data stored at Citizen Central ..Eight or ten different locations all holding the same data. One may go down, even two but not all. Your data must not match one but all and if there is so much as one bit difference, you be checked with the magnifying glass. Your fake id must match an existing record. The faked ID must have a matching set and that can only be an existing, person that is alive.

Anyhow fake Ids are rare, almost impossible to fake.

But lets say you made it to a new Colony, drifting on freighters. Landing on a Class F port with a passenger control officer who is at lunch., an automated CITI control that is broken or the barrier hasn't been built. You are on a place no one knows you and no one cares. There is plenty of work and the employers don't mind swiping your earnings into a private strip or a box.

Voting time comes around, you carefully avoid voting.

In the meantime the murder investigation is completed, evidence identifies you. All calls to your GalNet account remain unanswered. There are no activities on your CITI. The court will wait if you vote. After the second Union wide comes around and you still didn't vote. A final effort is made to contact you. If this is unsuccessful you, a Union Judge suspends your Citizenship on grounds you did not do your part. If you do not show up and appeal the suspension. Your are then an Ex Cit, lost all your citizen rights and you are now free to go anywhere as long as isn't on anything you need a CITI, because you are now a Non Cit for life.

Only one chance left. You turn yourself in, of course no longer as citizen and if you were found guilty in absence, they welcome you with open arms and make an appointment for you with the person providing you with a one way ticket to a place you don't need a CITI or anything else for that matter.” He ended his long explanation simulating a hanging with his hand.

“I guess I did sleep in class or forgot about it. Murdering a Non Cit is not a crime?”

“If the deed is done on Union ground it does not make a difference as it is a Union Felony. However if the murder happens on local ground local authorities can prosecute. If the verdict is guilty and involves any imprisonment or corporal punishments including death. The case must be presented to a Union Court who will either request it to be reopened and a federal investigation to be carried out, or verify the verdict. Now if a non cit murders another non cit it is a local affair. Unless it happened on Union ground. In case the Union citizen gets away before he is caught, the local authorities can ask a Union Court to issue a bench warrant. If granted and the citizen does not respond it ends the same way. Citizenship is lost.”

“All crimes?”

“Well the crime must either match what the Union law considers a felony, or the local authority can make a case in Union Court for a Bench warrant to be issued. A burglary for example without serious injuries is generally not considered grounds for a Union court bench warrant. But that does not mean local authorities are screwed. They still can contact Federal Law enforcement to be on the lookout. That means if your name or CITI pops up in an unrelated investigation and it is on the Union wide list of persons of interest, The local warrant is then automatically a Union issue as you have been caught in another jurisdiction. A local burglary charge is in most cases preferable than the case going to Union court. Because if you found guilty in a local affair you serve your sentence and that is it. A Union court finding you guilty means Union pen or Prison Colony. If they find out you have a history or have been convicted by Union court for anything your commitment as Citizen might also be questioned.”

“Wow you know a lot about this!”

He frowned. “ Because this is how I ended up being a Non Cit. I killed a man in a fight, did not think straight and escaped to Bumblebee colony and worked five years for a Tyson farm.

I was declared guilty and stripped of my Citizenship.

While I am no longer wanted, I am as good as dead. Of course I can turn myself in and change the “good as” into a fact.”

“So don't print that in your magazine. Local authorities at home might decide to send a Black Man .”

“A what?”

“I was not only declared Non Cit, but found guilty in absence. I don't know the sentence but Union law is pretty simple at this point. My guess is the death penalty. Do you know what people are called that are Non Cits with an outstanding death sentence?”

“At this point I have some ideas, but tell me.”

“The Living Dead .”

“That would have been on top of my guesses.”

“There are agencies victims,local authorities can hire to find such persons and execute the sentence. The individuals are called the Black Men. I think they called that way because the first private agency officially registering this as business was called the Black Man Agency .”

“Isn't that murder?”

“No, according to Union law, this person is already legally dead and all the Black Man does is adding the physical fact to the legal status. As a matter of fact you could kill me right here and now. So you see why I don't tell everyone about it and having it published would make sure of my demise.”

“Aljoss, mentioning that would make me guilty. I promises you this won't be mentioned in any way shape or form that could harm you.”

The group of drifts he had pointed out first, looked into our direction and then came our way.

Aljoss said. “Just be vague about yourself. The Professor really despises cits, but you have a chance to learn a lot about Drifts.”

The Professor was an unkempt man, two similar dressed and smudgy men and a young woman who never seen a comb in her life, from the looks of it had reached us. “Missed the Good Brothers, Aljoss. Because they stopped the Connector between Three and Two for a good hour. Some bot dropped a big box.”( "Rusty Container breaks - 4 Dead! " Blue Moon Echo 01-01-5030)

“Sorry to hear that, Prof .”

“Well the Eels had nothing, but the Bad News shared enough for Lupo ,Hargos and Bei but not enough for me. Wac normally is good for something but he isn't here. Do you know where he is?”

“Gone for the day.”

The Professor seemed to notice me for the first time.”New face?”

Aljoss answered for me.”Drifted in recently. Alex is a friend of mine.”

I guessed him to be between hundred and hundred and ten, as this was the age where standard humans started to show signs of aging. Especially men who no longer used cell restorers as frequently as women did. I had my first cell restore treatment done, just before I left for Tomb World, but then I was still in my early eighties and if nothing unexpected happened, I expected to see my 180th birthday before my brain was starting to shut down.

Hi hair and the shaggy beard had lost all color, it didn't look he bleached it on purpose. The skin of his hands and face was wrinkled and when he talked I noticed his teeth were stained in a strange uneven arrangement and two appeared missing altogether. He wore an egg yellow coverall, patched and stained and over it a maroon cargo jacket, often used by field researchers and members of the Explorer fleet. It featured a large number of pockets. That it once belonged to a person in the Explorer fleet was evident. An explorer ship patch was still on it's sleeve. The Union flag above however hand been replaced by a purple piece of fabric.

Around his neck he wore a metal chain, dangling on it the Union fleet logo with the old Peace Hawk symbol superimposed over it.

The three others that followed him managed to look the same without a single piece of their outfits matching each other.

He looked me over and said.”Well looks like Alex is a runner, ex cit eh?”

I just shrugged as I was not sure what he meant by it. He cackled with a throaty tone and sat down on the concrete block. “Matters not, There are always runners and I am sure more than one Alex.”

The young woman didn't look so young at closer inspection. Her eyes especially appeared to belong to a much older person. She said.”Corp or local runner? ”

Aljoss answered for me.”Same as me, would not risk being with a Corp runner .”

The woman relaxed.”Sorry Alex, but Corp runners are usually found and it is never healthy to be around when this happens.”

They all nodded in agreement including Aljoss.

The Professor said.” Blue Moon is a good place to stay for a Local runner from the fringes. Say you would not have anything to eat?”

Aljoss gave me nod and so I said.”I have an extra dinner box if you want it.”

He took it and started to wolf it down. “Preciate that Alex.”

To Aljoss he said.”Does he have a Pad?”

“No and me neither, not for tonight that is. We were aiming to roughing it at the North shaft .”

“You and Alex can come with us to the South Shaft. It's still a Cold pad, but we finally  close the shaft side with plastic and Lupo managed to get one of the ancient heaters going. Not very good but takes the worst bite out of the cold.”

Aljoss thanked him for the invitation and so did I.