Horizon Seeds (Complete)

Chapter One

Headline: 4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SINCE FIRST CONTACT
Headline: JOURNALISTS KILLED WITHIN AUSTRALIAN BORDERS
Headline: ARMS DEALERS FOUND DEAD UNDER ALIEN SHUTTLE
Headline: FOOD PRICES TO INCREASE THIS QUARTER
Headling: DO THE OTHSHALI'I ALIENS MAINTAIN SOCIAL STANDING?

Valerie walked into her favourite coffee shop, Stella Cafe, on the corner near the metro station nearest her client's work. She surveyed the busy café interior and found the older woman she was there to meet.

'Aunty Rachel, you look amazing!' She exclaimed in an over-dramatic voice as she dropped her jacket over the back of a chair and gave her Aunty a peck on her cheek.

'Thank you my dear, and you look ghastly as usual in that uniform.' It had become a running joke between the two of them. Valerie would make some outrageous claim at her Aunty's beauty, even though Valerie thought she was absolutely gorgeous at her age and the woman would return with quips about her police uniform.

'Have you ordered?' Valerie asked as she sat, carefully watching for any potential threat in her surrounds. Even on her lunch break, she couldn't turn her mind off the security work she did.

'Yes, my love. Trim latte with hazelnut for you, flat white for me. I splashed out and asked for a little real honey for us both,' her Aunty replied.

'You shouldn't have, that will double the price,' Valerie huffed. Her Aunty patted her hand with ring laden fingers and tutted.

'Not to worry, Valerie. My treat.'

They had been meeting each month in the same café for the last five years, ever since Valerie graduated from police college and took up the job she was offered back in the city where her Aunty lived. With the high price of eating out, the younger woman was surprised that these types of eateries and coffee shops still existed, but it turns out that coffee was one of those commodities that people couldn't do without, and Valerie was thankful for that.

'I can't stay long, I have an appointment with my boss in at Central. He didn't say what he wanted, but I have a sneaky suspicion it might be about my position with the Bureau.'

'Speaking of Aliens,' her aunty segued quickly towards her favourite topic. She loved to glean all manner of gossip from Valerie and her job with the Bureau of Alien Affairs so she could rattle off facts and figures to the ladies at her bridge club.

'Aunty, you know I can't talk about my job with you.' She smiled, knowing this wouldn't stop her Aunty from giving it a try.

'Valerie, this time I have some news for you. But if you are too busy to spend time with an old lady like me then far be it for me to keep you.' She fluffed up her array of flamboyant skirts she was never seen without and rubbed her favourite champagne garnet ring on her finger.

'Old lady, really.' She scoffed. 'I bet Louise put you up to this again. You shouldn't believe everything that she writes about. Very rarely is she ever correct.'

'Well, I believe this time she is right on the money. And this particular juicy piece of news will help sell her column really well. She might even catch up to my ratings, but I truly doubt it.' She held up her hand to admire the collection of rings, waiting for Valerie to respond.

'Oh, come on. You and I both know that no one writes better or sells more advertising or subscriptions than you.' She paused as a server brought two hot coffees and honey cake to their table. Valerie thanked the young woman as Rachel paid the bill using her gem-encrusted Swatch. That done, they turned to stirring honey into their drinks and took a sip. Valerie ignored the cake as she knew it was the only sugary treat that Rachel allowed herself each month.