"Jom Lushomagan, please report to holding block D," the monotonous voice of the announcer resounds in my ears.

I roll my eyes and rise from the table I am currently dining at.

"I beg your forgiveness father, but it appears I am required at the vermin's quarters. Apparently one of them has tried to incite a riot."

My father, the captain of this fine vessel looks up from his plate but does not reply immediately.

Instead I notice his implants flashing briefly.

"...it appears that the subject has already been pacified and that none have risen to his call to action. I see no need for you to concern yourself with such a slight disturbance."

"Father, my apologies, but it is my duty as their keeper to make sure that any sort of misbehavior is addressed and punished accordingly."

My father sighs but still dismisses me with a wave of his hand.
I bow to the front slightly to express my gratitude, turn around on my heel and hurry over to the transport system.

While the transport capsule propels me towards my assigned area, I double check that my isolation gear is in working condition.

After all, I must not make the mistake to take a single of their filthy germs back to my father's quarters, Garkla forbid that he might get sick from them.

About two minutes later, I arrive at the holding bay of Block D, where the guards on duty have already hung the offender for further questioning.
It appears to be a young male of approximately 16 earth cycles.

I could be mistaken about his age though, despite being trained in handling them, I still find it hard to get a solid grasp on their physique and their growth process.

"Jom Lushomagan, thank you for coming," Thaxlamsho'm, the head of block security and also trusted advisor of my father says when I disembark from the capsule.

"Yes, yes, it is fine. What is the situation here?"

"This individual disobeyed the terms of accommodation paragraph 535.

I quickly pull up the paragraph the officer is stating plus the case files of the current incident and the linked offender data.

"...paragraph 535 you said? Attempting to overthrow the Asmodean order on board?"

"Yes, Jom."

I access the recording of the incident and play it on fast forward.

After assessing the situation for myself, I look up at the unconscious vermin, scoff and reply, "Schedule him for public execution. That will teach them not to disobey..."

A priority one transmission comes in over my implant.
When I accept it, the voice of my father thunders, "Nympromedonalas Voxamy Lushomagan! Have you lost your mind?!"

I motion to Thaxlamsho'm to hold it, when all of a sudden he gets added to the conversation.

"Put him back into his cell and double his workload," my father states.

"Are you sure, Jor? Attempting to overthrow..."

"He is just a child, Thaxlamsho'm. And, according to his data, otherwise a hard worker. He probably just did it to impress a female."

"Certainly, Jor. But your daughter said..."

"I am well aware what my daughter said, but in my authority as captain of this vessel, I am overriding her order. Now get him back to where he belongs."

The silver haired man of 40 cycles agrees quickly with a slight bow and motions the guards to take the specimen away.

After they are gone, he rejoins the conversation where I am having an argument with my father.

"No offense, Jor Lushomagan, but why did you really spare this child? Did you suddenly develop some sort of fondness for these creatures?"

"By no means. I consider them disgusting, a health hazard and in my opinion we should get rid of them sooner rather than later, but if we do so, we must do it in one fell sweep. We win nothing by making an example of this child, but risk everything. They have destroyed their own home already. Little is keeping them from doing it again...only this time, it would tear us into the grand void with them. As such, we cannot give them more reason to hate us. What is more, we are talking about the garden district. Our primary food source. So unless you wish to do their work instead, I advise you to tread cautiously around these particular beasts. They hold greater power over us than they know. And I would like to keep them 'unknowing'."

"Well spoken, Jor Lushomagan. Blessed be thy wisdom."

"Stick it," my father says bluntly and kicks him out of the conversation before continuing his lecture to me.

After he is done, he tells me to return to my room and think about the mistake I just made.

I sigh, turn to Thaxlamsho'm and make up a quick excuse.

"If you would excuse me now, I need to take care of other matters before my shift in the Gardens start."

"Yes, Jom Lushomagan, of course," he replies politely and asks no more.

I don't know if he bought it, but he is wise enough to not embarrass me further.