“I best be off then,” The Astral Sheriff announced to Terri, activating the jets on his suit. He checked his HUD screen to see what it was coming in just above Earth’s exosphere layer- five smaller ships and one larger one set further back behind it.

“Astral Sheriff inbound and ready to engage,” he reported through his communicator.

He inhaled slowly, composing himself. With the triplets not around, it was down to him to protect the planet. He’d trained for this but for it to actually happen… He just wanted to avoid a second London. And a second Rio, to that matter.

The Sheriff continued to career up, through the clouds and higher. The six dots becoming bigger. They were in an arrow head formation, so he targeted the middle, closest one first.

The jets weren’t any bigger than some of the larger military jets on Earth, so with a burst of star dust beam, he incapacitated the pilot and sent it twirling off, narrowly missing the jet behind it to its left.

The Sheriff himself banked in the opposite direction, spinning like a corkscrew straight into another of the jets. Colliding with it shoulder on, he shunted it straight into the side of another of the escorting convoy.

Three down.

To take out the other two, The Sheriff shot another burst of his Astral beam at the wing of one. The jet blew up instantly, revealing the fifth lurking behind it. He faced it dead on, engaged the thrusters on his suit and charged at it. The jet remained steady, unmoved and undeterred by the armoured space soldier careening straight toward it.

He flew, but suddenly he felt a pull on him, like he was being magnetised away from his target. He spun round to find himself in a pink beam coming from the larger ship.

The Sheriff tried to blast his way out of it, but he was glued to the beam, being pulled towards the ship.

As he got closer, a hatch slid open to allow him entry and closed behind him. The internal doors opened and four guards had their weapons readied.

“Do’Lânqwa Th’Mari?” a voice from behind the guards called out. The guards parted for the voice, keeping their weapons aimed. “Do’Lânqwa, is that you?”

The man was familiar looking from somewhere. He was dressed in a knee length royal purple coloured robe with gold trim and embroidered detailing. He wore loose fitting gold pants with matching purple boots.

“Who’s asking?”

“Lower your weapons,” the man said to the four guards. “Don’t mind them. They’re just aggrieved that you… er killed their brothers. Can I guarantee that you wont fire on us in here?”

“I will be the one asking the questions here. You came into our orbit. Now, who are you?” The Sheriff demanded.

“It’s me, Prince Luqrit Kanankmal Yodman, the Earthriq Council of the Universe representative you met on Earthsle. We’re here to carry out the assessment of Earthuu, as per the arrangements made at that meeting. Do you remember?”

So that’s where he was from. At least he wasn’t lying.

Do’Lânqwa deactivated his suit and eyed up those in front of him. He was going to have to oblige them. “Right, well then. Can you hold this jet here while I get in touch with my superiors and see what our next steps will be?”

“Of course. We’ll be waiting here.”

***

Half an hour later, The Astral Sheriff had returned to Prince Luqrit with the instructions and co-ordinates for where to land on Earth.

As a result, they were all now on solid ground at a facility shared by the G7 countries in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was called La Forteresse de Tortue, of FDT for short, and translating simply to The Tortoise Fort because of its domed roof that encased the hundred and fifty by hundred and twenty oval building. The roof parted in the centre, with the doors of the dome retracting back into the sea to reveal a hangar in the centre.

It was a multipurpose site with shared access used for holding prisoners or dangerous enhanceds, conducting secret meetings and storing important artefacts.

They were waiting for Purcell Richardson, the Vice President of the United States and Glói Valtersson the President of the United Nations General Assembly. These two had joined The Sheriff on Earthsle in a bid to negotiate for Earth’s protection and exclusion of involvement with the Multi-Planetary Alliance. Despite the efforts of the humans, the council were still keen to assess Earth for inclusion in the alliance, and that day had arrived.

“They won’t be long,” The Sheriff assured. “This place is quite remote.”

***

After a couple more hours, Purcell and Glói arrived, courtesy of an American Navy superspeed escort.

“Greetings, welcome to Earthuu,” Glói said extending his hand for a shake. “Apologies for keeping you here. I know it’s not a glamourous point of entry to our planet, but we won’t be here long. We’ll take you to America shortly.”

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“We’re sorry for your… welcome committee. However, I hope you appreciate that The Astral Sheriff, Do’Lânqwa, acted as he was supposed to under orders. We are, and I’m sure you’ll see for yourself, feeling increasingly vulnerable here and we will, however we can, protect ourselves as thorough as we can,” Purcell explained.

“Thank you for your apologies. I can duly accept what you are saying. It’s a shame we weren’t able to call ahead. In absence of any satellite outposts, these things are bound to happen. My guards will have to accept their losses. No hard feelings,” Prince Luqrit said graciously.

“Thank you. So America is the country where I am based. This fort is more than safe and secure for you to store your ship for the duration of your stay. It’s just yourself and your security?”

“Um and my child. I’ve brought my child along. They are to come with me.”

“Of course, absolutely,” Purcell said. “Once in America you can meet our leader and outline your plans and hopes for your visit.”

Prince Luqrit smiled and clasped his hands together excitedly. “I look forward to it.”

***

An undisclosed secure location in the USA. Later.

Do’Lânqwa, Glói, Purcell and the President of the United States were sat with Prince Luqrit in comfortable arm chairs arranged in a circle within a fancy wood panel walled room.

On the walls were huge oil paintings of former presidents and the founding fathers of the nation they were in. Between the paintings were heads of taxidermy animals. The head of a moose, alligator, grizzly bear and a horse, along with a whole wide winged eagle hung looking down on everyone. Staple North American animals.

“Thank you everyone for being so accommodating,” the Council of the Universe representative said once they settled. “This room is quite something. I can just sense the history and tradition. It’s inspiring.”

“Well thank you,” the President said. “Maybe later I’ll give you a brief history of our nation. The good, the bad and the ugly parts. But first, please tell me about your plans here. I was briefed by Purcell upon his return of course, but the not knowing of what this visit will entail fills me with great anxiety, I confess.”

“Please, allow me to explain. Centuries ago, Earthuu, your earth was part of an alliance that connected the nine earths together. It won’t surprise you to know that Eathuu was the least developed and evolved of us all and so in agreement, your planet received support and input.”

“But the representative from the council was killed on one such visit?” the President chimed in with, hoping to impress with how informed he was.

“Correct. Zaraanfinah Zaisom, funnily enough of Earthriq too, was murdered, much to the fault of the systems in place on Earthuu at the time to prevent it from happening. Hence, the decision was made to exile Earthuu from the alliance. Recent events however have brought our attention back to your Earth and the decision was made that, before we consider the requests made to us, we are going to assess the progress made since those darker times and see whether there is anything that you can offer the Alliance by being a part of it, and perhaps what resources the Alliance can offer you.”

“But I think the point we were trying to make, and actually I know it was clear at the time, is that we do not want to be a part of the Alliance and wish to continue to be exiled and kept separate,” Glói explained politely.

“And that may well be the conclusion we come to. This trip informs our decisions,” Prince Luqrit said.

Purcell exhaled, slightly exasperated. “So what is it you want to see?” he asked.

“You have landmasses, right? Continents? I plan to travel to each one. I want to see the places on the opposite ends of the economic scales and your currencies. The hottest climates, the coldest and the most densely populated ones. I’d also like to get an understanding of your scientific developments in regards to space travel.” Prince Luqrit sat back in his chair, combing his fingers through his hair.

“Huh,” muttered the President, processing the requirements. “I guess we-”

The door suddenly burst open, cutting the President off from what he was saying. It was Mindy who came through first, followed by Holt and then Blane. They all looked harassed and dishevelled.

“Prince Luqrit!” called out Mindy.

“Err, Mindy, we were just-” the Vice President tried to say.

“We just intercepted a squadron of alien aircraft on our way back from Mars,” Mindy continued undeterred.

The President turned to look to their visitor. “Prince Luqrit, have you brought others with you?”

“N-no,” he said shifting in his seat.

“He’s telling the truth,” Do’Lânqwa said, able to contribute something since their arrival to this room.

“No, they weren’t with the Prince, Mr President,” Holt said. "They were hunting the Prince."

“Are you going to tell them, or are we?” dared Blane, staring at Luqrit with a raised eyebrow.