Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Since a child you've been fascinated by space. As soon as you could you joined the European Space Agency and quickly ended up "out there" on the Charles De Gaulle space station. Hoping for some excitement you applied to join the International Space Police Force or "Star Cops". Following the selection procedure you began your Police training.

This mainly seemed to consist of form filling, procedures and the latest interpretations from the Geneva Courts on the laws you would be enforcing. Rules of evidence, the discipline code and several inputs on Earth based martial arts and fire arms completed it. During the training you received several private talks with different instructors who told you where you loyalties should lay. Unfortunately each gave a different recipient; Britain, Europe or Democracy. One well known company's representative even offered to quietly sponsor you during your training and later duties if your loyalty lay with your bank account. Strangely no one suggested the Star Cops.

After the month of training you returned to space with a badge in your pocket but little idea on how to be a police officer. You were sent back to the Charles De Gaulle space station where Inspector David Theroux showed you the ropes when you both had spare time. You still did your normal work but ended up with several more hours worth of procedure and paperwork to complete each day. Little happened for 3 months; oncoming crew were checked in and the departing crew were checked out, permits issued and reports signed. A spate of suit failures were the only cause for concern.

You were called to the ISPF office and found David waiting for you. "Hi, I'm afraid I've got a bit of a low baller for you. You know neither the Americans or the Russians are keen on us and only supplied a single token officer from their space projects. Unfortunately Dimitri Grigorev, the Russian inspector, he's been injured in an accident on the Gugurin. The Russians are saying that're OK and don't need a cop. With the prospective commanders arriving here tomorrow Geneva is trying to get the ISPF taken seriously. So the Russians have been informed that their treaty obligations require them to provide room on their station for the ISPF. They've also been told that an officer will be sent to them, I'm afraid that officer is you. Whoa. Hold your horses, it's not for long. The Russian aren't keen on it either. They've already started someones training. But our lot are insisting that it be at least four weeks. So the good news is that your only there for a month. The bad news is they want you there now. A shuttle is leaving in 30 minutes so you need to be on it, go stow your kit quick". You rushed to your sleeping bay and grabbed the few personal items your weight allocation allowed and made haste to the shuttle.

David met you outside the airlock. He said "The Russians are going to be a bit suspicious of you. They may try to keep you out of certain areas. Tread lightly, as you can bet your bottom dollar that if they complain, the people in the halls of power will back pedal leaving you out in the cold". He shook your hand. "If you need to talk you know where I am. Dos ve donia, comrade". He grinned and walked out before you could think of a suitable rejoinder.