The cantina was busy with its second sun's rush. Many spaceport stalls took meal breaks when both suns were up at their zeniths. Darju loved the sun's rays and, back at her pod, would often spend time lazing in their glorious heat. She had not had the chance since she had been at the cantina. "Marto burger table 4," Cylion called through the hatch as the order appeared on the holoscreen above the cooking station. Darju grabbed a burger from the cooler and dropped it into the rehydrator before placing it in the fryer. Darju had been surprised at how many people used to complain about cooking when it was such an easy task. All it involved was throwing a few items in the proper order and then putting them together following Flurew's instructions.

The beeper went on the frier, and she lifted the burger out of the kine oil. Kine oil did not add anything to the food. It just provided a medium for the heat transfer. She placed the burger on a fresh bun and topped it with sheffer leaves, hotip slices and Flurews secret sauce.

"Table 4 on its way," she called as she approached the front.

"Hey, Gretu," she said, smiling as she saw the hangar guard sitting at table 4.

"Hi Darju. After all the bragging you have been doing about them, I thought I better come and try one of these famous burgers."

Darju stood and waited for him to survey the burger before he picked it up and took a large bite. Gretu closed his eyes and sighed deeply as he chewed on the soft, succulent burger. Sauce dripped down the side of his mouth. Darju grabbed a napkin and handed it to him.

"Thank you," he replied, around a mouthful of burger as he placed the burger on the plate and took the napkin. "I have to say that sauce is amazing. What is it?"

"That is Flurew's secret sauce. She will not even tell Cylion or myself the recipe."

"She could sell that by itself. I can think of loads of dishes that would go well with."

"I will let her know," Darju said, smiling.

"Table 6 order," Cylion called from behind the counter.

"Coming. I better get back to it. Thanks for coming, Gretu," Darju said.

"I am glad I did," he replied, taking another large bite from the burger.

The orders kept coming, and two yhuse later, the rush concluded. "Is it me, or is it getting busier during the mid-suns?" Darju asked.

"It has been jam-packed the last few cinteps. I am unsure what is causing it, but Flurew will be happy with the recent profits."

"I would not know how much Flurew makes. I am happy she pays me, and I have somewhere to stay."

"If we keep remaining as busy as we have been, we may need another member for the team."

Darju finished cleaning the tables and stacking the stools before she bid farewell to Cylion and began her regular trip to the starport.

Darju was watching the freighter being loaded. The labour droids carried the large Juty containers into its hold. The labour droids were massive tracked droids that could easily pick up loads weighing tonnes. She loved watching them work.

The freighter was finished being loaded, and the siren blared briefly, indicating that it was taking off. The ground rumbled as its massive engines kicked in, sending dust clouds across the landing pad. Darju was standing, feeling the heat from the engines wash reach her even at the distance she was by the barrier.

It slowly lifted into the air before twisting on its axis. Once it did, it switched to its horizontal thrusters and powered into the sky. Freighters were slow and sluggish, but Darju liked all the craft. There was a shout from someone on the landing crew, and suddenly, all the staff began to run around arranging things hectically. She had never witnessed activity like it before and wondered what was happening.

The freighter was not very high when she noticed four dark shapes moving quickly towards it. "Look out," she called, thinking they would hit it, not that it would have helped. The four ships went from breakneck speed to standing still in the blink of an eye. Before they started to lower to the landing pad. The ships were black and were the most stunning she had seen. They did not appear to have any windows and looked like solid objects. As they entered their final descent, bright beams erupted from their undercarriages and bathed the landing area in light. Darju scrunched her eyes from the brightness. She had been watching the activities at the landing pad as the second sun had set. As one, the four ships touched down. They were not freighter ships and did not look like passenger ships. Their design resembled the Lotran fighters from the Apelore Defence Force.

She watched as the landing crew began unfurling a mat of all things towards the ships as their doors opened. Four beings climbed from the ships, one from each. They were not very big beings. The way the landing team reacted, though, took her by surprise. All of the Apelores on duty bowed at their presence. "I wonder who they are?" she said to herself. One of the crew began to escort the four beings into the spaceport. The activity at the landing dock had quietened, and she decided to head back to Flurew's for dinner. It was not a great distance from the starport, and as she walked singing away to herself, she became aware of the shouting from the town leader's offices. A crowd had started to gather outside, and the streets were being lined up with Apelore.

"Get a move on, come on now!" a large Apelore shouted to the gathered.

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Darju walked up to the crowd and saw one of the regulars from the cantina. "Excuse me, Mr Sawri. Could you tell me what is going on?"

"Ah, Darju. Yes, we have been visited by the Royal Gods."

"Royal Gods?"

"Yes. Royal Gods."

Darju had heard of the Royal Throne and it being referenced to the Gods, as anyone had through watching the Battle Royles, but she had no idea about them or who they were. "Are those the strange beings that have just landed?"

"Get lined up and be ready to bow," the large Apelore shouted as he walked up the line. "You there, Lyzord. You are not needed here. Be off with you."

Darju did not realise at first that he was addressing her.

"I said you are not needed here. Now move along," he repeated.

"Me?" she said, suddenly realising he was referring to her.

"Yes. You. Now, move along. We do not need your kind here."

Darju's temper flared. "My kind, what do you mean, my kind," she shouted back at him, hissing.

"I mean your kind, now get out of here before I have you taken in by the guard."

Darju's temper flew. "How dare you speak to me like that. What gives you the right to speak to me in that manner? You do not even know me, and I do not know you, and you dare be so rude." she screamed at the Apelore as all the others began bowing.

Darju was suddenly left as one of the tallest in the line as she glared at the rude Apelore.

The Apelore glanced sideways down the street and then backed up and bowed, snarling towards her as he did, showing his teeth. Darju could read the name on the badge he wore. 'Chief Proctor Brunti,' she would remember that name and discover more about him as she turned and stormed off, continuing her journey to Flurew's. On arriving, she stormed inside, throwing the door open a little hard, not just making Flurew jump but also crashing it into a stack of metal dishes that had been precisely balanced to go to the cantina. They crashed to the floor, creating a racket.

Darju went from fury to panic in an instant as she started to apologise to Flurew and began picking the dishes back up.

"What has got to you Darju?" Flurew asked.

"Some Chief Proctor Brunti being rude to me."

"Brunti, aye. What did he say?"

"That my kind are not needed."

"What? That does not sound like the Brunti I know."

"You know him? He is horrible."

"He went to school with Kiju. I have known him his whole life."

"Well, he was very rude to me, and I was only trying to find out what was happening. All of them lined up and bowing."

"Bowing?"

"Yes. They are all lined up by the leader's officer and bowing to these supposed Royal Gods here."

"Gods are here?" Flurew asked, shocked.

"Yes. They just landed not too long ago. I watched them at the starport and was on my way home when I saw the commotion at the leaders, so I went to see what was happening."

"Oh my. We have not had any Gods visit here for over 150PT."

"I do not care about these Gods. I care about how rude he was to me."

"I must go and see what is going on," Flurew replied, grabbing her coat from behind the door.

"What?" Darju said, confused.

"You just said the Gods are visiting," she replied as she hurried out the door.

Darju fumed. She picked up the remainder of the dishes, restacking them carefully, and went to her room, throwing herself on her bed. She was muttering about why Flurew was not interested in how rude that stupid Apelore had been to her when her holoscreen in her room flashed. She had a message. The only person who ever messaged her was Cylion, so she clicked on it, not paying attention, and answered while fluffing her pillow. "Hi Cyloin."

"Excuse me?" a strange voice replied.

She turned and looked at the holoscreen for the first time, seeing the face of an Apelore. "Oh. I am so sorry. I thought you were my friend, Cylion."

"Oh. I see. No, I am not Cylion. I am Administrator Klothyi from the Bureau of Transportation."

'Bureau of Transportation, where do I know that from?' she thought. "Oh. Hello," she replied, realising. Mylico had helped her fill in the FG78UTRS needed to allow travel.

"Hello," Administrator Klothyi replied, frowning.

"Sorry. Please, how can I help you," she said, smiling.

"I am assuming I am speaking to Darjuina Krostler."

"Yes. That is me."

"Excellent, that is part of the process completed. I can see from your application that you are a Lyzord."

"I am. Yes."

"Now, I have one question for you before I perform the scan: Why do you require a travel card?"

Darju frowned at the question, "Because I want to travel?"

"But why?"

"I am not sure I fully understand. The reason I want a travel card is to be able to travel. I thought that would be straightforward?"

Administrator Klothyi frowned himself now, "Let me change the question. Have you ever been threatened, cajoled, or persuaded to perform tasks for any other being directly or indirectly related to travelling?"

Darju looked a little shocked as she replied, "No. Why, does that happen?"

"You would be surprised. So that is a no. Now, then, the final scan. Can you stand up in a clear area of the room, please?"

Darju climbed to her feet and moved to the centre of the room.

"Please turn the screen so it faces you," Administrator Klothyi said.

"Oh. Sorry." Darju said as she turned the screen.

"Now stand still."

A beam of light came out of the holoscreen and swept over her body from claws to the top of her head.

"Ok. That should be fine. You should receive authorisation to travel shortly. You are required to give your tag number at any travel station."

"That is great. Thank you."

"Thank you for your time. Goodbye."

The screen cut out, replaced by another flashing message on her holoscreen. She accepted the message. 'Please find attached your tag ID for any out-of-orbit trips. Your travel tag must be given at all travel stations before departure.' Darju smiled broadly at the fact she had a travel card and could now go on a flight with Mylico the next time he visited. She sent a message to Cylion, letting her know before returning to her bed. 'What was I doing?' she thought. 'Oh yes, sulking', she fluffed her pillow and lay down again.