Like any self-respecting big event, planning a party with great fanfare is a must. The more the subject to be celebrated is linked to politics, the more they try to impress the public and guests: parades, concerts, fireworks ... there are a thousand ways to make a celebration special.

The official program for the day of the Pact of Alliance was still a secret for the public, except for the route that the guests would take on their arrival: from the space-port the Matriarchs of the Gems would be escorted to the Great Glass Palace, symbol of the political power of Umelia; crossing the city almost entirely. The designated route was now almost completely decorated with ribbons, fake crystal flowers and colored flags with the heralds of the two alien powers above. The road it was polished every day so that it would remain shiny to the point of being able to even mirror it.Many people watched the work in progress and speculated about what their governors had in store for the rest of the day: would there be music? Had they organized a banquet? Who knows if they had called some famous people!

All hypotheses that did nothing but fuel impatience and excitement.

It was all very beautiful and it had to remain so until the end, so much so that even the security personnel, usually in austere black uniforms; had been "decorated" for the occasion with bows too lavish for their job.

<< Who cares if they don't like them! If they dare to take it off, i’ll rip their head off! >>

<< I just hope they have the patience to keep them on until the event is over… >>

<< Topaz, this is not just any “event”… but the greatest “Event” on the planet! They will be so dazzled by my organizational skills that I will be designated as the best party planner in the world! >>

<< Until last week you were aiming to become the best milliner. >>

<< The creative flair knows no limits. Remember it. >>

Creative flair? It seemed madness to her.

The Green Topaz didn't find much sense in those decorations, so gaudy and flashy. If it had been up to her, she would have chosen something simpler. But after all, what did she know about certain things, since she was just a bodyguard?

She polished her gem, located on the back of her left hand. It was already the third time that day, she always did it when she was bored. The Peridot she was escorting resumed chattering about how much she liked her job and many other related things. She pretended to listen, the subject was not interesting in any of its aspects; from time to time on her walkie-talkie she was asked how the situation was going and she reported that everything was going (boringly) fine. Topazio hated being a security guard or escorting someone, she did nothing but stay up all day to check that an object was still or that someone was not hurt. She was more the type of action, chasing criminals and hand-to-hand combat ... or at least, that's what she wanted to do,

Unlike all the other Topazes, designed to be tall, strong, muscular soldiers, she had come out shorter, thinner, and chubbier. No one on her planet would ever take a soldier with such characteristics seriously; therefore, she had always been exploited for low-ranking jobs and far from the action she hoped to experience one day.

<<  You too would look nice with some bow. You would be very pretty… >>

<< Just try to put even a small one and I get angry. >>

<< Okay, as you want. But I assure you that it would make your physical form much more graceful. >>

Topaz did not need decorations, moreover she was satisfied with her shape and did not regret being like this.

She liked her bobbed haircut, her round face and the curves of her body, the baggy dungaree she wore and the high-soled boots to look a little higher. However, if she had to admit it… the only thing she would have gladly eliminated would have been the viewer to correct vision. Oh yes, in addition to her physical form, her eyes also weren't working well.But then, what was the purpose of being nice?

That is, you showed yourself off as an object and the story ends there. Where is the utility? What is the point of keeping a glamorous appearance for a long time, if you then have to sweat seven shirts to keep it?

Suddenly the walkie - talkie began to emit a high pitched beep. No words came out of the instrument, just a kind of morse code: two short beeps and one longer. It took Topazio a couple of seconds to make her understand that she had to go back to the station immediately: there was an emergency in progress. With that excuse she got rid of the Peridot, running away without even explaining what was happening.

She wondered what could have happened to send that signal. It was not taken for granted that with the arrival of a foreign alien power (which by the way was her race!) Problems related to public safety could arise, for this reason they had called in advance a lot of reinforcements to cover as many red areas. possible. Evidently, however, something had gone wrong.

The police district to which Topazio had been assigned was a large building in black steel and glass which, seen from above, looked like a donut, on the facade the symbol of the Umelian forces of justice stood out in the form of an asterisk resting on a crescent moon shape. Seen from the outside it was low and small, apart from the swarm of drones that buzzed around it there was nothing else of interest from the outside; but this is because two of its five levels - the more "interesting" ones, we could say - were hidden under the foundations.

The structure was developed in this way: the three visible levels were used for offices, forensics laboratories, the armory and so on. The other two hidden from the eyes of civilians were set up to house prisons, interrogation rooms and conduits for transporting criminals to prisons. Those who worked there were proud to be part of it, the fame of that specific district was known and envied throughout the rest of the planet; many cadets applied for work and only a very few were selected. When Topaz was assigned there, about eighty years ago in Earth years, she was not immediately aware of the great fortune that had happened to her.

Topaz lived in Wolk for 120 years or so, do not be surprised by its longevity, the Gems are not creatures capable of aging and maintain an eternal youthful appearance.

Going back to the story… what had struck Topaz the most were the so-called wonders of the investigation: the chases, the search for clues, the satisfaction of catching the criminal on duty. She loved that dynamic and unpredictable world! From that moment on she had tried to be more and more part of it, but above all, she wanted to be a detective!

With her current role as bodyguard she could not really participate in the investigation, at most she could provide support to quell fights and keep precious objects. She wanted to prove that she was up to that profession and every day she studied and studied trying to learn all its secrets, hoping that the opportunity would come. “Maybe my dream can come true!”, she thought in the meantime. The emergency could be her big break. You can imagine her sad astonishment when she learned of the reason behind the summons.

<< A gem killed? A few days before the ceremony? It is not a good sign… >>

<< I said it would bring trouble. >>

<< Shut up, it is a victim we are talking about. >>

She and many other agents had been gathered in the large office at the entrance to the plant and there they had listened to the Captain's account of the case of the Broken Pearl.

It was short and categorical: a Pearl had been destroyed, they had to find the culprit and put them in prison before the Celebration. The case took priority over any other investigation and each discovery was to be shared with both the local detectives and the great Blue Agate standing at attention just behind him.

Topazio was very upset by the news and the cold and impassive comments of the agents around her did not help her to calm down. They could not understand, the fate that her compatriot had ended was terrible, a fate that she herself had long feared for all the time she had lived on Homeworld. Once, before the republic, it took nothing for cheap Gems to be executed, sometimes just because the noble ones were bored and wanted to do something to have fun. Topazio did not miss her homeland and that was one of the many reasons. After the meeting, the crowd dispersed, all of them promptly returned to work with seriousness and professionalism. Topaz, despite the uncertainty; decided to step forward. She made her way among her colleagues and reached the Captain before he could lock himself in his office, performing the military salute with great zeal. If the Pearl's case would pass into the hands of other Gems, she as such wanted to give her contribution in the investigation, however small if she could. Pulling out her courage she begged him to be added to the group, but it was a pity that with her quick talk he did not understand what she was saying and slowly forced her to repeat.

Her request sounded more like a plea. Blame the emotion, the embarrassment she was feeling, the gazes fixed on her and above all the majesty of that perfect Agate that put her in awe. She felt terribly uncomfortable at the moment, but all she wanted was to help.

<< I appreciate your interest miss and I understand what you are feeling, but as you see we have everything under control. You can be sure that we will find the culprit. >>

<< But I'm a Gem too! I know the procedure, I can ask my community and I do well with the collection of fingerprints and ....! AND…! >>

<< These are all things that the team sent by Homewolrd will take care of, which has already been approved by the Mayor himself. Their track record is exceptional… as much as that of our top detectives. >>

<< But I ... >>

<< You are already dealing with urban security. That too is an important task and is doing it very well. I understand that you are worried about your compatriots, but leave it to us, we will solve this crime as soon as possible. >>

And it ended there. Really.With a promise and a pat on the back that should have reassured her.

 Topaz wanted to say more, much more, but her mouth did not open to let out a syllable or a comma. It all piled up in her throat with a sore lump, sucking away that little crumb of decision that had just blossomed. That was her boss, he dictated the rules and he decided what to do, his word counted more than the spontaneous desire to help. He and those people, meanwhile, had already forgotten about her as soon as they turned their backs, taken from solving the case more for the political influence behind her, rather than for the human side.

And Topazio went away in silence, without anyone noticing.

*****

<< Ok, spit it out. What happened to you? >>

<< Uh? What? >>

<< Something happened to you yesterday, I want to know "what". >>

<< I have nothing. I'm fine. I 'm very good. Why do you think I have something? >>

<< You let me put one of my bows without protesting. >>

<<… Maybe I wanted to be nice. All right? >>

Topaz was unable to hide her temper, but not even under torture would she have told others about it to be told what was right or wrong in what had happened. Being underestimated and estranged from such an important investigation had hurt her. Okay, she knew she wasn't right to be, after all she was just a security guard and the pros; it was the excessive hope of being accepted into the group and the dream of bringing justice to the streets of Wolk. She had demanded too much and consequently had taken it very badly, it would take some time before she was able to put a stone on it.

She began to play with the bow that the Peridot had attached to her collar, trying to get back focused on her work.

In the aftermath of the new day, after a cold night with purple hues disturbed only by a common as it frequents wind storm outside the protective spheres, the work frenzy for the big party touched a new level. Technically everything was ready, from the decorations to the welcome speech.

Only one thing was missing: the transport. On board an Ossul model vehicle, a kind of silver carriage with the front elongated like a swan's snout, equipped with a fan-shaped back, soft red fabric seats and spotlights, three large puppets were mounted that would have represented the three matriarchs of the Homeworld. That bizarre means of transport is considered a kind of limousine for the inhabitants, who could afford to buy it could parade through the streets demonstrating their social status. The medium in question, among other things; it was also much larger than the usual models: a version had been built on purpose an almost realistic version for the guests who would arrive because, according to what was said around from the tales of the Gems residing on the planet; they were real giantesses.

The dimensions had put the engineers to the test, but in the end they managed to create an excellent replica of the original model… in a maxi format. But drive it? This was an unknown factor they still had to solve. That's how they put it to the test. The aim was to make it perform a test ride from the port space to the Glass Building without colliding with houses and objects, due to its size they had to maintain a slow pace and take into account every millimeter on which they moved, in the curves then it was a real nightmare to perform the maneuvers.

The Peridot and Topaz observed the moving limbs of the vehicle with the three huge puppets on board, a backing track had been sent in the background which would then be performed live by a band; a very catchy tune of trumpets and brass. It looked like a carnival wagon, as it was tanned. A lot of people moved with the vehicle checking every movement, creak and even smell it emitted, probably the slightest crease would have triggered a mental breakdown.

<< How boring. I almost hope that his engine will explode. >>

<< Seriously, you should take a vacation. This job makes you more touchy with each passing day. >>

<< I'm not touchy! I just need to…! To be left alone! That's all! >>

<< Look, I'm serious, since I've known you I've never seen you enthusiastic about what you do. You should dedicate yourself to a job that makes you really happy, that gives you satisfaction even when your back hurts and that at the end of the day makes you go to bed with the satisfaction of having done something useful. >>

<< Say the Gem that have changed jobs many times. >>

<< For me it is different, I want to experience different things. There are so many opportunities in this world that stimulate me and I want to try them all before deciding what to do definitively. It is a mission, one in which, however, one has fun. >>

<< I do not know, it seems... >>

Suddenly; the stillness was ruined by the clumsy intrusion of a very out of tune guitar solo.