Page 1 of His Human Librarian

Chapter 1

Taylor

“Oh hells, the strap on my shoe is broken.”

The last minutes before any mission are always chaotic, but today seems especially frenetic. I lean on my suitcase and bend down, trying to fix the back of my cute, kitten-heeled shoe. This is my first lead mission and I’m trying to make a good impression on this mysterious planet I’m traveling to called—I glance at my tablet—Tarvos.

I woke up at the crack of dawn, ready to leave headquarters on Gravian for a project on Tarvos, this remote planet I’ve never been to before. Supposedly, everything was planned long ago to the last nanco. But three different “fires” needed to be put out before I even left my quarters this morning. I helped an assistant with a last-minute project. Then my boss needed my input to figure out a dispute between two new interns.

And now not only is my shoe broken but I’ve also got a chipped fingernail.

Dammit.

What a mess. I can’t change shoes because I’m already in the lobby of the damn transporter station and I don’t have anything else with me beside hiking boots and slippers. Ugh. I take a moment and manage to secure the tiny buckle on the sling back.It’s looser now but it’ll do. Then I resume my walk through the station, a little more slowly than before.

I’m a Librarian who specializes in restoring old, intergalactic textual materials for future generations in the four sectors. And it’s always a thrill, going to a new location to save another cache of print books, tablets or scrolls from deterioration.

And this is my first real lead position. I've been all over the four sectors the last six years, on so many missions I’ve lost count, but I was always part of the team, and only recently upgraded to second in charge. My mentor wanted me to apply for this lead project and so, I put in my bid. There were so many other amazing applicants, I’m still a little giddy over the fact I was chosen.

My tablet vibrates in my hand. I look down and see it’s a call from the Head Librarian of Antiquities. I tap on my screen and pause in a hallway to listen to her diatribe. She needs help with the guest list for a fundraiser. Jeez, do they realize I’ll be gone in minutes? I’m starting to think I should turn off my tablet or I’ll never get out of here.

Finally, I’m able to drag my red suitcase toward the correct transporter room.

“I’m here, I’m here!” I yell, rushing through the sliding doors. “I’m so sorry I’m running late.”

A young Gravian male, dressed in a bright purple uniform, who looks like my own species but is ten times stronger than any human from New Earth, easily picks up my suitcase as if it were light as air. He places it on a separate disk. “Perfect timing, human. We were waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” I pant.

I stand on the disk next to my bright suitcase, pushing back my long brown, wavy hair from my face and over my shoulders, adjusting my glasses. My outfit still looks good and reasonably neat—the white pencil skirt and teal blouse remain wrinkle-free. My comfortable shapewear is holding up nicely, keeping my thighs from rubbing together and my stomach and any rolls smoothed out.

The attendant goes over the rules, letting me know what to expect. I listen patiently, but I’ve heard this a zillion times and know the drill.

Finally, we’re ready and the sequence starts.

The giddy rush of the transporter disk never gets old. A giggle escapes my lips because there’s always a tickle in my belly as my body dissipates. It all happens so fast I don’t even have time to think. I’m turned into a stream of atoms, suddenly sent across the four sectors in the blink of an eye, reforming onto another disk on an entirely different disk in a faraway transporter station, which is waiting for my arrival.

It’s amazing. I love it when I get to travel this way.

Transporter trips are extremely expensive and not often used by lower-level librarian team members. Some missions make more sense to board a transport, but this project only requires me and not a whole team with heavy equipment, so I was allowed a transporter disk this time.

My eyes blink open and I patiently wait for the transporter blindness to clear. It’s always like this.

“Welcome to Tarvos, human,” a pleasant voice, that I’m guessing is from a Hyrrokin female, greets me. “Your luggage has also arrived. Your vision will return in a few nanco.”

And now I’m interested to find out what this Hyrrokin species from Tarvos looks like. Do they have scales and claws like most other species in the four sectors?

I don’t know much about the Hyrrokin or the planet I’m arriving on because I enjoy going in cold to new locations, getting to know the locals from clues I find as I meet them. My universal translator was long ago installed in the back of my brain. I’m known for being quick on my feet and acclimatingquickly to new species and planets. It’s always a thrill, making first contact with new cultures.

I do know this is a peaceful, civilized planet with a robust system of laws and peacekeepers. There is little crime, and the main cities are known for their clean public areas. Hence, there was no need for me to arrive with a security detail. I’m arriving alone because this planet is considered equally as safe as Gravian.

My contact on this project is a male named Sten Sandstone.

The cache of ancient print books and tablets I’ve been tasked to rescue were found in a cave on this male’s property and he is now funding this restoration project. He is, in fact, financing this entire operation, which is impressive. This means he oversees the wider local undertaking and will essentially be my “boss” while I’m working on Tarvos. These ancient texts are supposedly from his own family ancestry and the ancestry of the beings in the area, which is wonderful.

I’m happy to be the Librarian who will restore these objects for them and make the text available within the intergalactic library system.

My vision begins to clear and three different beings in the room begin to take shape, two move about and one stands nearby. They are all taller than me and their skin looks…red? Finally, their appearance comes in sharp and clear and…a squeak of fear escapes my lips.

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