Tempest City

The sun was just rising over the horizon of Tempest City; its high rising towers of glass and steel, all covered in rich greenery, plant life, flowers and produce, seemed to both reflect and devour the golden rays of warmth. In the center of the city was the Alliance Police Department building. Officer Brenna Solmar sat hunched over her desk, the glass deck before her casting a kaleidoscope of colors across her face as she reviewed various case files.

The ambient murmur of the precinct – a symphony of ringing Links, muffled conversations, and the occasional burst of raucous laughter – usually provided a familiar, comforting backdrop. But today, the white noise seemed to blend into a droning lullaby, and Brenna felt fatigue settling deep into her muscles like an unwelcome house guest. Why did she decide to come in this early again?

Her eyelids grew heavy, the words and graphs of information blurring as she blinked slowly. Reaching up, she massaged the tenseness in her shoulder, kneading the tight cord of muscle with firm circular motions. Just as she felt herself teetering on the edge of a well deserved power nap, a ping sounded. A pop up appeared on her deck.

To: Officer Solmar

From: Office of the Captain

Priority: Urgent -----------------------

Please come up immediately to the Captain’s office for a briefing.

Brenna’s heart jogged as she wondered why she was being summoned. She secured her workstation then navigated her way through cubicles of natural materials and half walls that displayed ticker tapes of information gliding through the transparent glass panels. The scent of greenery permeated the building and provided a constant source of clean air.

Her finger jabbed the call button for the elevator. After a moment, a soft chime announced its arrival. As the doors slid open, she stepped inside, taking in the sleek, minimalist interior, a testament to New Earth architecture from which the Alliance’s aesthetic was derived. The décor was modern yet understated, eggshell white walls interrupted only by horizontal stripes of light blue and green. With a gentle lurch, the elevator ascended, and Brenna’s heartbeat quickened in anticipation.

She’d never been called to the Captain’s office before, so she was curious and a bit apprehensive. She knew it couldn’t be disciplinary as she had been commended several times for her work. But that feeling nagged in some recess of her subconscious all the same. The elevator’s AI voice announced her arrival and the doors slid open, revealing the neutral carpeting and muted tones of the executive floor.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Brenna smoothed her black hair, then straightened the crisp lines of her uniform, feeling a small glitch. One seam had a crinkle in it. She’d have to advise the Printing Department. This was the second time her weekly printout had produced a defect. She approached the Captain’s office, a robotic voice reacting to her proximity, “Officer Solmar, Brenna - cleared for entry.” The double doors slid open with a faint whoosh.

Brenna stepped inside, her heart now pounding with a mixture of hope and trepidation. The Captain’s eyes were glued to his deck, a series of images rotating in sequence across the glass. After a moment, he turned it off with a flick of his finger. “Sit,” he said quietly, leaning back in his chair, which groaned loudly under his weight. Steepling his fingers, he fixed Brenna with an inscrutable gaze. “I want you to know up front that I appreciate all the hours and hard work you’ve been putting in.”

Her heart, previously jogging in anticipation, now broke into a full blown sprint, wondering why he was opening with this statement. Was she going to be let go? Transferred? Replaced? She truly had no idea what this summons was about. “Thank you, Sir,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she waited to hear what he had to say.

Apparently reading her face, the Captain smiled at her, pausing for a moment before speaking. “Give me an update on where we are with the Prophet intel.”

Okay, that was unexpected. Did he find something wrong with her information hierarchy? Maybe some bit of information that was out of sequence or missing? Now she was really nervous. He knew she had it all committed to memory, it was her best skillset – eidetic recall. “We’re still working on cross referencing the latest leads from the SETS. But if you need me to change the protocols, input—“

He chucked softly, holding up a hand to stop her. “Solmar, there is no one else in the department I trust more with this information. Don’t change anything. In fact, I don’t want anyone else’s eyes on it going forward.” He paused, apparently enjoying torturing her. “I bring it up because in a few moments you’re going to see a gentleman seated just outside.”

Here it comes, she thought.

“He’s a detective from Starlight City and he’s been transferred here to help us in the Prophet case,” he continued. “I’ll need you to do his on-boarding and coordinate your information with him. I’m assigning you as his assistant.”

Brenna was simultaneously shocked and flattered. The Prophet case was the biggest case Tempest City had ever dealt with. The data on that alone had made juggling all the other cases a major task. The drug crisis was at an all time high, death rates in the SETS were on the rise from overdoses of DMT and Black Syn, and citizens of the city were up in arms.

The Alliance was under pressure and was pushing the APD to act quickly. Knowing she was now going to be part of this investigation was better than any promotion she could have dreamed up. Especially since she had only been an Investigative Research Assistant for two years. “Thank you sir, I appreciate it.”

“His name’s Talinir. Give him the tour. I trust you two can hash out the details of working the case together. From here on out, you won’t be dealing with any other case but this one. I’ll meet with Andy and Karl and let them know they are to pick up the slack with any other cases. Clear?”

“Of course, Captain,” she replied, still stunned over this new development in her career.

Exiting the Captain’s office, Brenna locked eyes with the detective. He began to rise from a plush, cushioned bench in the waiting area and she was momentarily frozen in place. Although there were plenty of Neax in the city, she had never seen a male of such physical presence. He was at least 6′4" with the typical Neax iridescent skin. His hair was long and white. He was watching her, his gaze causing an inexplicable tingling to ripple over her skin. He introduced himself as Dax, his grip sending a peculiar heat through Brenna’s arm as they shook hands.

“Welcome aboard, Dax,” she said, working on keeping her professional demeanor despite her legs suddenly feeling like gelatin. “Well, you ready for the dime tour?” Dax grinned at her. And she felt a heady sense of déjà vu, but shoved it away.

“Sounds good,” he replied.

They settled into a comfortable pace, chatting about the different departments, minor small talk, and then returned to Brenna’s desk to begin the on-boarding process. Brenna found herself distinctly aware of the detective’s gaze, the nearness of him sending a tremor through her body.

“And here is your stick, Detective,” she said after completing the last entry, fumbling the object before handing him the small memory device. Shit!

“Dax,” he corrected, smiling at her in a way that was almost alluring. He reached up to his ear, removed his Link and slotted the stick into the port to initiate the data transfer.

“Dax. Sorry,” she apologized, watching him deftly upload the information, his large hands as nimble as hers. She remembered he had moved the same way as they were on the tour. Agile, almost predatory. He had to be 220 pounds if he was an ounce. And every inch of him was solid muscle, she fantasized before realizing she had drifted off.

His eyes were on her again as he replaced his Link. “Thanks for everything, Officer Solmar.”

“It’s Brenna.” She could feel the fire in her cheeks and squirmed internally.

“Well Brenna, thanks for the tour. Your precinct is certainly impressive. I look forward to working with you,” he finished as he stood, towering over her like some sensual monolith with two spotlights made from distant storms of gold and green that swirled hypnotically. He extended his hand and she stood to shake it.

“My pleasure. Captain wants to have a word with you before you leave. Have a good weekend.”

He nodded. “See you Monday.” And he left, heading toward the elevators.

She stood there, momentarily unaware of her surroundings, glimpses of something deep in her mind fighting its way to the forefront. And then it struck her. The Holo-Day! Her roommate, Ava, had purchased a pass for her to VIE’s interactive experience as a birthday present. The memories started to coalesce and she was back in the virtual center... a very intimate experience with a large male with long white hair.

On the tenth floor, Dax was surprised to hear the automated voice as he approached the Captain’s office. “Detective Talinir, Daxarian - cleared for entry.” Brenna had gotten him into the system faster than he had anticipated. Efficient. This boded well.

He stepped into the office where he was greeted by a stern-faced man seated behind a large desk. The Captain appeared to be in his late fifties, his African descent evident in his rich complexion and the tight coils of his closely cropped hair, now liberally sprinkled with grey. Thick-rimmed glasses framed his intense gaze, and several large, dark moles dotted his weathered features. The years behind the desk had also left their mark, evident in the healthy spare tire that spilled over his waistline as he stood and extended a hand to Dax.

“Detective Talinir, Captain Lorshing. I’ve heard great things about you. Please, have a seat.” He motioned to the chair in front of his desk and then settled back into his own with a grunt. “Glad you decided to accept our offer.”

“Glad to have been invited,” Dax replied, his large frame almost swallowing the chair as he sat.

“You’ll be attending a briefing on Monday morning. Figured we’d give you some time to settle in first, get a feel for the city. We’ll take care of your scans and weapon reg afterward.” The Captain leaned back in his chair, the frame emitting a protesting squeak under his shifting weight. “I’ve got Transpo finalizing your cruiser prep. You can go ahead and take it home with you when you leave today.”

“Thanks, Captain. I have to say, you people are definitely organized here. It’s been impressive.”

The Captain smirked, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Don’t get too comfortable, Talinir. You’re here because who we’re after is as organized as we are. The Prophet runs the SETS, the South East Tempest Sector, and if we don’t stay on top of his movements...” He paused, fixing Dax with a serious stare. “Look, you come highly recommended, so I’ll be blunt. This fucker has eluded us for too long. You have the street experience we need for this operation. So come Monday, we need you prepped and ready.”

“I’ll be ready,” Dax stated, returning the man’s gaze with confidence, his jaw set in determination.

“Good to hear. I look forward to working with you. Officer Solmar is very knowledgeable and capable, that’s why I assigned her to you. You let me know if you need anything. Enjoy your weekend, Detective. Get out and get familiar with the city. We’ll see you on Monday.” The Captain stood again and shook Dax’s hand firmly. “Welcome to the Tempest Precinct.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

Before Dax reached the door, the Captain stopped him, “Hey, Talinir, could you send in Officer Troy? He should be in the lobby by now. Thanks.”

“Of course,” Dax replied.

Leaving the office, Dax saw a very young looking officer leaning against the wall, even though there was plenty of comfortable seating available. The kid had a baby face, cropped blonde hair and light hazel eyes. He looked up as he heard the doors slide open and his expression went from mild impatience to raised eyebrows.

Dax began to speak but Troy started first, “You’re Talinir, right?” He started to move toward Dax.

Dax nodded, “That’d be me.”

Troy reached out his hand, “Setheon Troy. I’ve heard about you. Nice to have you in our precinct,” he stated, his expression sincere.

Dax smiled, giving him a firm handshake. “Thanks, it’s great to be here. Captain said to send you in.”

Officer Troy nodded. “Hope to work with you one of these days,” he added as he strode confidently to the Captain’s office, disappearing inside before Dax could respond.

Dax chuckled and headed for the elevators. On the way down he grinned to himself. The Captain was actually wearing glasses. He wasn’t even sure where you could get those anymore. Everyone that needed correction was treated with laser now. It made him realize this man was an old soul.

Exiting the elevator, Dax caught sight of Brenna. She looked up at him and smiled briefly before returning her attention to the glowing glass embedded in her desktop. He had to admit, she was an extremely attractive woman. He sighed, hoping he hadn’t made her uncomfortable, remembering that he had perhaps gazed at her a moment too long during his on-boarding. Their partnership was going to be crucial to the case and he didn’t want her to feel awkward working with him. He had to stay focused.

He headed out of the main building and across to the transportation garage to sign for his cruiser. It was similar to the units back home, but this one was damn near brand new. And a whole lot cleaner. He sniffed in that savory new car smell and, with a grin, fired it up. He decided to take in the sights on the way back to the apartment he had leased the week prior. He spoke to the command dash, providing his address, then put it on auto pilot. Seeing the city hands free would give him an uninterrupted glimpse at the lay of the land.

The anticipation of his new assignment had him anxious to get started.