Posted by Civilian Hir Ra-Mhadreii (Director of Terraforming) in Gov’t Tower - I Noticed You Needed a Little Help Landscaping… (tag Hyrushi)
Hir cradled their worn-out bag, careful to avoid the budding hole they refused to fix except with small patches, and settled into a seat near the rear of the transport. There weren’t many aboard – just Hir and a disgruntled Andorian who claimed he was the pilot (and they were inclined to believe his badge). He didn’t speak much except to warn them of their departure, but Ra-Mhadreii didn’t mind. They watched the spaceport retreat behind them and tuned out the melodrama of Andorian opera that soon filled the shuttle. It didn’t have the same bite (‘screeching’, some might call it) as the Klingon opera they preferred.

Reclining, Hir quelled the urge to plaster themself to the window and marvel at Oed’s emerging glory. They had never seen a terraforming project of this magnitude except in literature and the articles they wrote from the confines of stuffy laboratories. Starfleet did not make it easy to pursue more than micro-terraforming that lived in countless simulations born of child-like curiosity and a touch of brilliance. But Oed V was real.

Hir felt their heart flutter as the shuttle passed through the planetary shield, descending into synthetic clouds. Though little more than bits of dust and water vapour condensed under the perfect amount of pressure, Hir adored them. Their excitement must have breached their serene cast because the pilot shot them a knowing look and angled the shuttle so they could see the surface below. That was their project – their canvas.

Rocky and withered by an onslaught of solar radiation and vicious winds, it didn’t look like much yet. Hir noticed the bits of green that emerged in a deceivingly random pattern. Were they testing ecosystems? Were they rehabilitating the land to its former beauty? Hir knew peripherally of Oed’s newfound attraction to the finest minds in biosciences end geoengineering. And the thought of this being their handiwork excited Hir even more.

Hir might’ve ogled at the planet all day if not for the pilot’s curt warning of their arrival. As the shuttle touched down on the pad, Hir quickly gathered their bag and hoisted it firmly over their shoulder (to prevent any breakage). They waited for clearance by the Andorian, who finally said his name was Torehl, before disembarking. The next hour passed in a blur that Hir didn’t care to remember, but they got their belongings to their new apartment and soon found their way to the Government Tower.

Some combination of emotions that Hir concealed behind their calm veneer and the swish of their airy, earth-toned clothes led Hir into the lobby and to the receptionist at the front desk. They offered a brief explanation for their visit and asked for directions to the governor’s office, earning them a friendly gesture at a nearby lift. Piling in, they asked for the top floor, and settled in for an unremarkable ride. It took them only minutes to find Hyrushi’s office and they quickly stepped inside to approach another receptionist.

“Hello,” they greeted. “I am Hir Ra-Mhadreii, here to meet with Gov. Hyrushi about the Terraforming Department.”

– Hir Ra-Mhadreii, incoming Director of Terraforming

The receptionist, a startlingly beautiful Deltan woman, smiled and said “Of course, sir. The Governor has been most anxious to meet you. I will let him know you have arrived.” and she tapped the desk interface before her and only moments later the large double doors to the Governor’s office swung out and open.

The room beyond was spacious and white. Walls of glass from the left of the doorway gave an uninterrupted view of the city as they wrapped around the far corner of the room and then continued on out of sight behind a three-quarters-high wall that extended from the far right corner of the room about three-quarters the length of the room. Set into the wall was a fireplace, in front of which was a large seating area with a low table surrounded by couches and chairs. In the far left corner of the glass walled room was a desk on a raised section of floor. Set at an angle with two chairs before it, the lone occupant of the room seated behind the desk looked up as the door opened.

The figure appeared human, save for the eyes. Terran Asian features surrounded jet black eyes. Long, black hair flowed down the back of the figure halfway to their waist as the stood up. Dressed in a dark burgundy suit with a deep blue paisley shirt under the charcoal gray vest, the figure stood and smiled. “Doctor Ra-Mhadreii… this is a true pleasure. Please have a seat, won’t you? I am Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi, Governor of the colony.” and he held out a hand to the Efrosian. “Would you care for tea?”

Hyrushi, Gov.