Post by Emily Lockhart on Mar 1, 2015 12:54:55 GMT -7
The Presidium Commons was bustling. The lunch crowds were slowly dissipating as bankers and bureaucrats jostled through the more leisurely classes of tourists and other visitors. Straddling the two groups was Emily Lockhart (and entourage). She was a Member of the Systems Alliance Parliament, but not being on official business, she was just a visitor. Not that she wasn't trying to move into the official column, but her staff's calls to Councilor Udina's office had not yet been returned. Lockhart didn't delude herself into thinking she was important enough to be on Udina's radar, but it was worth a try.
"And we haven't heard from Udina's office?" asked the Member. "Not to blow my own horn, but I am, you know, an elected representative of humanity. That should warrant a yes or a no, at least." She sighed and took a sip of her coffee then glanced at her assistant. "Let's call Jacqueline and let her know I'll be in a meeting until six, then I'll get a taxi to the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. And while I'm in the meeting, make sure the gift is wrapped and ready for tomorrow." The assistant scribbled notes in her datapad as the Member talked, nodding along.
"Ma'am, stop where you are," said Simmons, reaching out to grab Emily's bicep and pulling her to a stop.
"What...?" Emily asked as Simmons moved in front of her. She stood on her toes and peered over his shoulder, and then she saw why the security officer stopped her. A Collector was sitting on a bench near the elevator they were heading for. Her eyebrows furrowed with concern. What was a Collector doing here? "Is it armed?"
"Not sure. Please remain--"
"We had to pass through eighteen different security checks to get onto the Citadel. What makes you think it's dangerous?"
"Well it's a Collector," the security officer volunteered. "I'll alert C-SEC."
"Nonsense. I'm going to speak to it." Emily brushed past the protesting security officer and walked over to the Collector's bench. "Em... hello."
"And we haven't heard from Udina's office?" asked the Member. "Not to blow my own horn, but I am, you know, an elected representative of humanity. That should warrant a yes or a no, at least." She sighed and took a sip of her coffee then glanced at her assistant. "Let's call Jacqueline and let her know I'll be in a meeting until six, then I'll get a taxi to the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. And while I'm in the meeting, make sure the gift is wrapped and ready for tomorrow." The assistant scribbled notes in her datapad as the Member talked, nodding along.
"Ma'am, stop where you are," said Simmons, reaching out to grab Emily's bicep and pulling her to a stop.
"What...?" Emily asked as Simmons moved in front of her. She stood on her toes and peered over his shoulder, and then she saw why the security officer stopped her. A Collector was sitting on a bench near the elevator they were heading for. Her eyebrows furrowed with concern. What was a Collector doing here? "Is it armed?"
"Not sure. Please remain--"
"We had to pass through eighteen different security checks to get onto the Citadel. What makes you think it's dangerous?"
"Well it's a Collector," the security officer volunteered. "I'll alert C-SEC."
"Nonsense. I'm going to speak to it." Emily brushed past the protesting security officer and walked over to the Collector's bench. "Em... hello."