16 year old Seki has always dreamed of travelling the stars. He has always wanted to experience first hand the adventure his ancestors went through when they left Earth. And for that, he needs to win the annual Trappist Interplanetary Race which will determine if he will be able to take part in Trappist Empire's Second Deep Space Expedition. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned. Cross Race Destiny Part 1 Being a spy is always glamourous, but never clean. By Shiina Ai

"Oh shit, why is big sister Kin here? Isn't she supposed to be off-duty today? You idiot Hek, your information is utterly useless!"

This shouldn't happen. It really shouldn't happen. Today someone by the name of Telde Asfran should be sitting at the desk of the chief commissioner. Why is it that big sister Kin is sitting there now? Our plan is ruined. Ruined!

"You behind the wall, come here!" Big sister Kin calls with her piercingly sharp voice.

I really want to run away, but that'll be stupid. Big sister Kin lives right in front of my family house. She'll catch me quickly. Let's not make a scene. The worse that can happen is she will shoot me with a stun gun at the most excruciatingly painful setting.

So I swallow my spit and enter the hall through the open door.

"Why are you wearing a border watch uniform, Seki?" Big sister Kin asks with her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Umm, I just want to see big sister Kin's pretty face."

"I will spank you right here in front of everyone, brat!"

"So cruel, big sister Kin! I'm not a child anymore!"

"You're still a child, brat. Now spit it out!"

"Uhh..." I hesitate before giving her Mel's, Hek's and my own citizen ID. "Please, we need a border watch ID."

"So you're the one..."

"What do you mean I'm the one?"

"Do you even know what kind of trouble you are in?"

"Umm..."

"Are you not even aware that faking military identity is against the law?"

"But Hek said-"

"Hek? Hek Safrid?" She picked up Hek's citizen ID before throwing it back onto the desk. "This is his idea? I told you he's a bad kid!"

"No, it's not... it's... please, big sister Kin, we just wanted to win the race."

"What race?"

"The interplanetary race, of course! We just need the C54H8 Plasma Regulator and the Raylon Shield Mk. 6."

"Those are military-grade hardware."

"Exactly! And everyone have them except us! We won't even have any chance of winning without them."

"People have died in that race, brat. Did your mother even know about this?"

"Well..."

"Try to lie to me, brat, and I will make sure that there will not be even a single day in your life that you don't regret it."

I swallow the lump of spit in my throat which has been stuck there since I sat down on this very chair. "I told her I'm going to study in the capital for a year."

"You lied to your mother? And what are you going to do about money?"

"We got a little bit of grant money. 600,000 sol credits."

"That is barely enough for an empty ship that can fit three people."

"Hek will be the only one in the ship. Mel and me are the engineers."

"You're 16, brat. Do you really think you can compete with people who have been designing and building spaceships for 30 years?"

"We have a secret weapon, big sister Kin. We will win, if we can get the two things that we need."

"Forget it. The Border Watch is full."

"Pleeeeeeasee....."

"Do you know how much trouble you're in, boy?"

"Trouble?"

"What you're doing is against the law. If you had arrived two hours earlier, you would have been arrested alongside Telde Asfran for bribery and corruption."

Thank goodness I woke up late today!

"Umm, what's going to happen to her?"

"Most likely she'll go to trial tomorrow and after that she will stand in front of a firing squad."

"What? Just because we made a deal with her?"

"Not you. She's been taking bribes and making fake documents for almost a year. Even if you haven't made a deal with her, she'd still be arrested today."

"So... what's going to happen to us?" I ask as my eyes start to become moist.

"Nothing will happen to you. You haven't actually bribed her and she hasn't actually made your fake documents yet. But if you were caught together with her, that's a completely different matter. Not even I can save you."

"Is there nothing you can do, big sister Kin? We really need those parts."

"Just give them back the money and wait until next year's recruitment week."

"That's no longer possible."

"Why?"

"We already spent it."

"..."

"So please, big sister Kin."

"... Even if I want to help, I can't. I'm being transferred. This is my last week in the Border Watch."

"But you've been here for the past 8 years!"

"And it's bloody long past time that I should've been promoted from being a provincial commissioner in this backwater region. Lesson from me, kid, NEVER back a losing politician!"

"So what can we do now?"

"Don't cry. You're a man, aren't you?" Big sister Kin scolds with her scary sharp voice.

I'm not crying. This is just the rain. The Border Watch's commissioner office has leaky roof. This is certainly not me bawling my eyes out.

Big sister Kin closes her eyes and crosses her arms under her well-shaped boobs. She leans back against her chair as the middle of her lips turn upward into a triangle. She makes a low hum, barely heard unless you pay attention or you've known her for a long time. It is a pose she usually takes when she's in deep thought. When she's like this, it's best to leave her alone.

Just as I wonder if I should stay or leave, she suddenly opens her bright blue eyes, startling me in the process. She bends slightly to the left, opens one of the drawers and produces a thick book the size of a brick that can probably be used as a weapon. It falls on the desk with a loud boom. The title is 'Treatise of Law'.

She pushes it to my side, telling me, "Take it, read it, memorize it. Recite it to me word by word when I visit your home this Saturday."

I look at the thickness of book. "There must be a thousand pages in this book, big sister Kin. How can you expect me to memorize it in five days?"

Big sister Kin wordlessly pulls the brick-like book back to her side. She flips through the pages, stops at certain pages, places a bookmark, then continues flipping. After she places six bookmarks, she closes the book and pushes it back to me.

"Read the first chapter before you start reading to know the terminologies. Then memorize the topics I have bookmarked. Those are the most important ones you need to know for your new job. The rest you can learn as you go along."

"Oh, you're going to give me a job at the border watch, big sister Kin? I knew you-"

"I already told you I'm being transferred. I can't put you in the border watch."

"Then..." My face is covered in sweat as I start to worry about this new job big sister Kin has in mind. "What is this new job you're talking about?"

"I'm being put in charge of a new organisation in the capital. You are joining that one. You will have to transfer to a capital school but don't worry, I'll pick a good one for you. As for accommodations, what was your arrangement if you managed to get the components?"

"Mel said he's willing to put me up in his family's mansion in the capital."

"Oh? That's very kind of him. What's the catch?"

Obviously, big sister Kin doesn't have any faith in my friends.

"I have to work as a servant when I'm not working on the ship or going to school."

"Brat, do you not realize that you're being used?" Big sister Kin gives me an angry glare.

Of course I know I'm being used, but what choice do I have? I can't ask mom for pocket money and the capital is expensive. As for dad, he left the empire together with the First Deep Space Expedition. I certainly can't ask dad for pocket money from light years away. Who knows where he is, even. The last we heard from him was two years ago when his fleet was approaching the nine light years distance limit for two-way communication. We don't even know if he's still alive.

"But this is my only chance, big sister Kin. If we win the race or even get second place, everyone will know my name. I can get my pick of any job from mechanical engineering on Trappist Prime to deep space exploration missions!"

Big sister Kin growls, signifying her extreme annoyance and distaste at the situation. It is clear she does not approve of our arrangement. I never had a big sister, but if I did have one, she'd probably be something like big sister Kin. Over the years, my family has been very close with big sister Kin.

I grew up watching her as my parents were always working. Sometimes she took care of me as a babysitter. When I was bullied at school, she always received my complains quietly. She taught me how to fight and within a month, I was in a position to rout my bullies. She was always there, listening quietly before teaching me how to face my problems. She was always strict, but passionate at the same time. I can understand why big sister Kin looks pissed, she must've thought I'm being bullied.

"Tell Mel you have your own accommodation, but tell him nothing else."

"Will I be staying with you, big sis Kin?"

"Out of the question! You will need your own apartment. We must not be seen together outside of work hours. It's as much for your safety as it is for my reputation. I don't want you to be attacked because my rivals think you're someone special to me."

"Attacked? What job is this, big sis Kin?"

"Intelligence, that's all I can tell you."

"Espionage?"

"No, but you do get a gun."

"Oooooh!" Sounds exciting.

"Knew you'd like it." Big sister Kin allows a brief smile on her face. "Memorize what I told you to. I'll be over at your house in the evening, in case you don't understand some thing. Also, next time you want to do something equally as stupid as this, talk to me first."

Saluting her, I say, "Yes, I will be sure to consult big sis Kin in the future before I do something stupid!"

******

"Wake up, Seki." A voice says in my left ear as I feel something touching my cheeks.

Opening my eyes, I'm greeted by a bright light. Instinctively I cover my eyes with my right hand as I hear the voice of a man apologizing before the bright light disappears. Removing my hand, I can see three people in the white hospital room. The first is big sister Kin, covered from head to toe in blue surgeon gown. Other than her are two men, one of them has a short beard and looks like he's around 40 years old. The other man is younger, but unlike the others, he who's still wearing his surgeon's mask faces the other way as he sanitizes some metallic things.

"How are you feeling, Sera?" big sister Kin asks.

Who the heck is Sera?

"She's not talking. Did something go wrong, doctor?" she asks the bearded man.

"Nonsense, it was the most perfect operation I've ever done. She just needs some time to get used to her new body. The transformation process changes a lot of things," the bearded man explains.

"Very well, can you leave us alone, doctor?"

"Of course, colonel. Come, doctor. Our job here is done," the bearded man says as he walks out, followed by the other man.

Big sister Kin whips out a device that makes a beeping noise and proceeds to walk around the room. Once she finishes one round, she suddenly starts talking aloud nonsense about the positioning of the stars, some nonsensical mathematical expressions and some kind of poem. From time to time, she stops and rummages around some of the equipment before pulling something out. After the fourth round and not finding anything anymore, she stops, puts all the stuff she grabbed earlier into a metallic bowl and sets fire to it with her particle gun.

She picks up her phone, swipes a number and says, "Doctor Evri Larus is a spy. Find out who he works for. The use of Black Marble is authorized."

Big sister Kin puts her phone back into her pocket before she turns my way. "Seki, are you able to speak now?"

I try to say a few words, but my throat feels so dry. "Water," I croak.

She fills a stainless steel glass with tap water and help me sit up before offering me water. As I drink slowly, she takes out a folder from a briefcase and hands it to me.

"This is your new identity. For as long as you work for the organization, this person is you. Memorize it and act the role."

I look at the folder. My new name is Sera Aldof from a place called Lancer on Trappist Prime. My father was a royal guard in Empress Ayana Foxtail's guard detail while my mother was a policewoman in Lancer. They both died in the monster rampage of 6518.30 or year 2216 of Old Earth. At the time of the rampage, I was on a school trip to Trappist 8. I suppose I was there to pick up some atmospheric sample or something. Still, I don't know how I should feel having to pretend that my father and mother are both dead.

If I'm not mistaken, Lancer is a small city in the Katiana Continent on Trappist Prime which is the official name for Trappist 6, which we are on now. Katiana Continent is one of those wild regions not yet tamed since the 120 years of our arrival in this system. While migrations from Old Earth has been instrumental in populating the system, some areas of habitable planets, even Trappist Prime are nothing more than monster nests.

Hold on a minute. What the heck is this?!!!

"Big sis Kin, it says here I'm a girl."

"Yes, you are. Also, stop calling me big sis Kin. Call me Colonel Kin Aram from now on."

"Why am I a girl?"

"Because it's an all-girls organization."

"Does such a thing even exist anymore?"

"Yes, it still does."

"But why me? Why not get a real girl?"

"You need military ID, do you not?"

"Yes, but... I'm sure there are other methods..."

"Fine, consider this. Border watch recruits get 1200 sol credits a month and 60 days of unpaid leave. This job gives 5000 sol credits a month minimum, 80 days of paid leave, - paid leave - , free apartment, fully paid vacation to Trappist 5, full medical benefits and all kinds of cool guns and gadgets. You, a 16 year old brat, gets all these. Is there a job out there that pays better?"

I am unable to say a single word. Everything sounds so amazing. I must've dropped my jaw on the floor. It is that amazing. In comparison, an average pay for a 16 year old working at a convenience store in our town of Apresmidi is less than 800 sol credits.

"So still want to work for border watch?" Big sister Kin say with a grin, looking and sounding very smug.

"No no, of course not, but what exactly do I do here? Nobody would give that much money to a 16 year old girl. Also... I just realized that I have boobs and I don't have Seki Junior anymore."

This is making me depressed.

"It's a dangerous job. That's why you get paid more, Sera. Yes, I'm going to call you Sera from now on. No, don't look at me like that. Seki Junior is not with you anymore, but that's not a big problem. We have the technology to grow what you need and reduce what you don't. Once you quit the job, you can go back to your old life."

"So this is not permanent?"

"It IS permanent. It's just that we can reverse anything and everything."

"I have never heard of this technology."

"Can you imagine a world where everyone can change their face, body and gender at will? Law enforcement will be impossible. That's why it's only available to intelligence agents. Not even the military gets this."

"Is this the technology that allowed the empress to change her body into a fox girl?"

"No, that's a different one. I'm not sure of it myself but it also uses nanotechnology. Her nanotechnology is most likely more advanced than what we have here."

"Wait, will I get pregnant if I do 'that' with a man?" I ask, as the sudden realization that I may get pregnant makes my spine crawl.

"Are you gay? Do you want to do that with a man?" Comes big sister Kin's straightforward question.

"What? No! I like girls! I want to do a lot of things with girls. Girls are great! Yay girls!"

Big sister Kin looks at me with a look of disappointment. Please don't look at me like I'm scum, big sis Kin. You're making me regret my words.

"Well, you can't get pregnant. The nanotechnology we have access to can turn your sperm cells to look like ovum cells, but they're not ovum cells. Anyway, isn't it good that you were born during Empress Ayana's reign? If you were born during Emperor Karl's reign or in the Centauri Federation, you'd likely end up standing in front of the firing squad for being gay."

"But I'm not gay! I love girls!"

"And that's why you're gay. You're a girl now, remember?"

"Aww shiiiiittt!!!!" How can you do this to me, big sis Kin? Putting me into an organization full of girls and not being able to seduce even one? My world! It's getting darker!

Big sis Kin suddenly puts a hand on my shoulder. As I look up at her beautiful face, she raises a thumbs up with her other hand and says, "Don't worry. Plenty of girls in the organization are gay like you."

The world suddenly feels bright again.

******

"How was boot camp, Sera?" big sister Kin asks as I stand at ease in front of her desk.

I put my hands under my new C-cup boobs. "These puppies were distracting, big sis-"

"I told you not to call me big sis. It's Colonel Kin Aram. Colonel Kin Aram!"

"It's a bit hard to suddenly change my habits after so long. Haha."

"Well, try. At least call me colonel. Nobody should know that we're related."

"But we're not related."

"It doesn't matter!" Big sister Kin gets up from her chair as she hits both her fists on the wooden desk. "When you keep calling me big sister, people will think we're related! Plenty of people here have new identities. So they will think that you only got new identity because you're my real sister."

"Please calm down, big sister Kin. You're screwing up your pretty face."

She snorted a laugh. "At least you learned something at the boot camp."

How mean. I learned a lot of things at the boot camp. I even learned how to smuggle a nuclear bomb into Centauri Federation's capital palace.

Big sister Kin grabs a folder from the top of the desk. She walks around the desk, looking sensual and sexy at the same time as her short skirt gives a little flutter. That suddenly reminds me that my own skirt is probably too short. It feels really breezy. When big sis Kin stands a foot in front of me, she hits me on the chest with the folder, waking me from my distractingly short skirt. Taking the folder from her hand, I open it and starts reading.

She leans her glorious butt against the edge of the desk while I read the document. "1st Lieutenant Sera Aldof, your codename will be Swallowtail. You have been tasked with infiltrating the 8th Trappist Interplanetary Race. Your mission is discover the plot to sabotage the efforts of the Second Imperial Deep Space Exploration fleet by identifying the threats within the TIR that seeks to undermine the Empress's authority and corrupt the race itself. You will be inserted into the Gravity Wing team as space engineer, replacing their previous space engineer Seki Merui who will be deep in the Wild Forest of Ukuan as part of the Border Watch."

My eyes scan the details that she mentioned. As she keeps talking, I also flip through the pages, looking for more details between her every pause. I was told in boot camp that I will be expected to put everything written in the mission folder into my head because I will not be allowed to bring the mission folder out of her office.

Thanks to my superior memory, the instructors managed to cram more practical skills into my body instead of training me to memorize stuff. It seems like for this organization at least, you can't proceed to other training regimens unless you pass the memorization training. The number of training regimens you complete determines your initial rank. I managed to complete 9 out of 11 training regimens. There was only one person back there who managed to complete 10 of 11 and she was totally hot. She never told me her name and I never told her mine, because in boot camp, we were addressed by our numbers.

"You will be expected to go deep undercover and report in every three days through secure channels. Your mission details may change and you will be informed when you make your reports. Your backup is Agent Sunflower. She will be tasked with assisting you in information gathering and may assist you in some actions. Other than that, you are doing this alone."

"Agent Sunflower?" I mumble aloud while flipping the pages to another page.

It's her!!! I can't believe it! It's the hottie who completed 10 training regiments out of 11! She's my backup? Wait, why is she called Sunflower? Which part of her face is 'sunny'?

"Where is she?" I ask.

"She arrived earlier. She should be in the armory sorting out her equipment now. You will meet her there." She pauses as she allows me to read the folder again from front to end.

"So, any issue with your orders?" she asks with her arms crossed.

"Yeah, well, the mission scope seems very broad. What exactly am I supposed to do here?"

"Basically catch anyone who causes problem to the race."

"Anyone?"

"They must be at least someone important. Do NOT bring in a hot dog seller who pocket spare change."

"So I'm not going to tail anyone or something?"

"It's your first mission. I want to see how you handle it."

"Yes, I will not let you down, big sister Kin!"

"Call me colonel!"

*Hi all, it's Ai-chan again. How are you all doing? This was originally planned to be a one-shot but as I wrote it, I ended up putting in more details and it became pretty long. So I'm releasing it in chapters. Shouldn't be too long.
**As always, your praises help me write faster while your constructive criticisms help me right better, so please share with me your feedbacks. I'm trying to ease myself into writing regularly again.
***Below is the bigger picture of that planet comparison thing.