GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

This gender bending space opera was inspired by a comment made to me by Bailey Summers. I hope you enjoy it.

CHAPTER 1

My name is John Harper. I am a galactic marshal in district 3. I have just come back to district headquarters from a really grueling assignment that I don’t want to talk about. A vacation is what I need and I have some days coming. Maybe I can spend some time back on Earth. I grew up in Kentucky and have not been back there in a long time. It is funny how time gets away from you. The last time I was there brought back some memories that I did not want to surface. I guess I have avoided returning because of that but it is such a beautiful place and I should go more often. Kentucky is one of the few places on Earth that avoided most of the affects of the severe pollution 200 years ago. I was very lucky to have been born and raised there. It would be a place for the rest and relaxation I sorely needed.

As I reached the district supervisor’s office, I knocked on the door.

“Come in John.”

“Hi Sam. It is good to be back. I guess you have read my report.”

“Yep, good job.”

“I’m glad you think so because I am putting in for some vacation.”

“Uh, well, a special assignment had just come through. You are the only marshal available that fits the criteria.”

“Sam,I am dead tired. There has to be some one else to take it.”

“I wish there was but the computer says you are it.”

“Since when did a computer start making our assignments?”

“This is a special case. You remember Sandra Sterling? We have gotten a very reliable tip that she has gone underground on the planet Fledora. She is in the top ten most wanted and we can not ignore this.”

“I have never heard of Fledora. I thought I knew all the planets in our district.”

“This one is a new addition to the planetopolis. Also, it is in district 6.”

“What! That is the back end of no where! We do not even patrol there.”

“I know, I know. But we have been given permission to go after the fugitive.”

“OK, but why me?”

“As I said, you meet the criteria insisted upon by the government of Fledora. We sent the histories of all our marshals to them at there request. You were the only one that qualified according to them.”

“What makes me so lucky?”

“I don’t know. All they will say is that you are the only marshal they will let into their territory.”

“Man, this sucks! When do I leave?”

“They are sending a shuttle. It should be here in the morning.”

“That really sucks! No time off at all?”

“Sorry.”

“Well, I am going to get some supper. I’ll see you in the morning.”

With that, I walked out. I was pissed. As a district marshal, I had an apartment in the HQ building but I did not feel like going there. Instead, I headed for the cafeteria. The food there is not great but it beats my cooking by a long way. As I entered the café, I spotted George Bret. He is also a marshal in this district. I waved and then went through the food line. After paying, I sat down with George.

“Hey there John. Haven’t seen you I while?”

“I’ve been on a long and tiring assignment. I just got back this afternoon.”

“So, I guess a vacation is in the works now, huh?”

“I wish! Sam told me I have to take another assignment first.”

“Whoa! That’s unusual. What is it?”

“I have to go after Sandra Sterling. I hope it doesn’t take long.”

“I don’t know. No one has been able to catch her yet. Where is she supposed to be?”

“Some planet in district six called Fledora.”

He suddenly looked pale. I got the feeling he knew something that I should know.

“OK, that struck a chord. Give!”

“Well, it’s only rumors. Apparently, the planet is inhabited by a splinter group that left one of our colonies over 100 years ago. It was a colony that was repressive to women. The rumor is that the planet is only inhabited by women that are descended from a large group of women that left that colony looking for a better life.”

“Wow! That is heavy. I can see why Sandra would try to hide there. She is probably getting help. What I don’t understand is why they want me to go there?”

“Got me, but I would sure be careful.”

I finished eating and went to my apartment. Since I was completely bushed, I got ready and lie down on my bed. Something was just not right about this assignment. Any one of a hundred marshals could to track down a fugitive. Why pick on me? After all, I was overdue for some time off and only an emergency should have canceled it. This sure was no emergency. And, what about this ‘meeting criteria’ thing? I was pretty much average as anyone. I was 6 feet tall, weighed 200 pounds, had pretty good health, and stayed fairly fit but so did everyone else. It worried me about them sending my complete history. A thought occurred to me. I had always believed that I was born intersexed and was corrected to be listed as male. Growing up, I had been more girl than boy until puberty hit. Surely, that was not what fitted me to their criteria. I had a not so funny feeling in my gut. After a struggle, I finally drifted off to sleep.

I woke suddenly to the 1812 Overture. I groaned ‘Who could be calling me at 6 AM’. I punched the vid button and Sam appeared. He did not look much better than I felt.

“What’s up, Sam?”

“Sorry to wake you but we just got word that the shuttle from Fledora will arrive in 30 minutes. You are expected to meet it.”

“Are you crazy? There is no way I can get ready and packed in less than 2 hours.”

“Don’t worry about packing. We were told that you were to bring nothing but the clothes on your back. Everything you need will be provided once you are on the shuttle. Apparently, they are worried about contamination.”

“This is just great. I don’t like this one bit.”

“Nothing I can do about it. Just go to dock 16 as soon as you get dressed.”

“Alright, alright!”

I signed off in a huff. This is getting stranger and stranger. I dressed in jeans and a sport shirt. It would take a good 10 minutes to get to dock 16, so I headed out. Just as I arrived, I saw a brilliant white shuttle entering the space dock. It was a beauty. I had never seen one like it. As soon as the green docking light came on, the door opened.

“Walk through the door Mr. Harper. We are in a hurry.”

I did not see where the voice came from. As soon as I entered the ship, the door closed. I immediately felt the ship undock and start out.

“Just sit on the bench and we will be with you shortly.”

A few minutes later, the voice returned.

“Please take off all of your clothes and enter the chamber to your right.”

A door opened and I looked in. It appeared to be an over grown shower.

“Look, whoever you are, I would like to know what is going on.”

“The chamber will decontaminate you. When you exit, we will provide you with new clothes.”

I walked into the chamber against my better judgment. I did not like the way this was going one bit. The door behind me closed.

“Stand in the center and hold your arms out.”

I complied and a sharp smelling spray seemed to come at me from all directions. It only lasted about I minute but that was enough. Oddly, I dried off quickly and the door opposite opened to another chamber. This one looked like a futuristic locker room. As I entered the room, the voice told me to look in locker 1 and put on the clothes it contained. I opened it and got a surprise.

“Hey, this looks like a mini dress.”

“It is a medical gown, Mr. Harper.”

“Why do I need a ‘medical gown’?”

“Our doctor needs to give you a physical and make a few enhancements so that you can enter Fledora territory.”

“What kind of enhancements?”

“Nothing permanent or out of the ordinary.”

“I suppose my superiors knew of this and approved.”

“Yes, they did.”

“OK, I guess you can go ahead.”

“Good! Put on the clothes and go into Medical.”

Another door opened which I assumed led to the medical room. I put the ‘dress’ on and entered the room. In the center was a pod about 7 feet long.

“Where’s the doctor?”

“The doctor is automated and is part of the unit you see in the middle of Medical.”

“Great! When do I actually meet you or someone alive?”

“Not until we reach Fledora. Please get into the unit. A door will close over you and you will be put to sleep.”

“Hold on a minute. I don’t like the idea of being helpless in that thing.”

“Mr. Harper, it is essential that you be sedated during the flight to our planet. The star drive we use is very uncomfortable to humans. If you are not asleep, damage could result to your body’s systems.”

“OK, but I want it noted that I don’t like it.”

“Noted”

I climbed into the pod and the door closed over me. Some kind of gas poured into the chamber and I passed out. I awoke to a gorgeous brown haired, brown eyed woman staring down at me. She seemed to have a smirk on her face. I started to sit up but something did not feel right. I looked down at my chest and got a huge shock.

“Good morning Miss Harper.”