A diplomatic mission

[shemkel]

As he walked down the ramp, it became clear that Ronnie didn't waste the time needed by the autopilot to land the transport. Shaved and fragrant, with his old, weathered leather jacket clean and shiny - at least as shiny as it could be - and with a big, black bag on his shoulder, he looked like he was ten years younger. As he stepped out from under the ship, he gazed around to see with his own eyes what Planet Crete looks like.
The landscape around the starport reminded him of some place but he couldn't link the strange memory to any of the planets he was familiar with. The rocky, slender mountains surrounding the landing pad has made his approach rather tricky. White Sands - the transport he landed in - wasn't really designed for such landings. Long and with a relatively fragile frame, it had to be handled with care and flown smoothly between the brown, rocky peaks, to avoid stressing the ship's structure extensively.
Warm and dry breeze reminded Ronnie of Pittsburgh deserts he used to visit quite often back in the times when he worked for DSE security.
He came closer to Valeria, who was already waiting for him on the edge of the pad. Seeing the woman changed slightly by her role of the host, he also noticed her pride. The same pride he heard in the voice of another Benitez pilot they met just a few hours back. "Honorable and proud... Well, they surely have some reasons to be proud..." he thought to himself.
"Thank you for bringing me here in one piece, Miss" Ronnie said smiling. "Those bunter destroyers almost got me there..."
He adjusted the heavy bag on his shoulder and pointed at the gun in his belt holster: "I'm not sure about the customs here... is that okay that I'm armed?"

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Once a Xeno - Always a Xeno