Spatial Parcel and Communication Exchange Office (S.P.A.C.E Office)

Submitted into Contest #212 in response to: Set your story in a post office.... view prompt

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Science Fiction

Welcome, new employee, to the Spatial Parcel and Communication Exchange Office, or S.P.A.C.E. Office, for short.

Here at S.P.A.C.E. Office, we take pride in what we do. This isn’t just some post office from the pre-Space Age, where parcels only had to move across land and water of a single planet in order to reach its destination, but rather across alternate realities, cosmic layers, universes, and even realms. With technology advanced and relations between dimensions the best they’ve been in eons, our employees’ jobs of ensuring correspondence between planes of existence arrive at the correct place, as well as the correct time, is vital.

The first topic we need to cover is employee relations, as this adjustment can be a little shocking for new employees at first. Regardless of what dimension your existence stems from, everyone here works together like one big family. So, I will ask now that if you have any pre-existing prejudices, you leave them at the portal when you arrive for your shift.

Here at S.P.A.C.E. Office, we ask that everyone show respect for every xenotypes’ individual needs. We will review a few of the most prevalent examples here, but don’t worry, you will learn more along the way as you meet your coworkers and spend some time out on the job.

The first race we will talk about are the Mutelaloth. Humanoid in structure, they lack any facial features or known organs that provide methods of communication. Please be rest assured that they can, in fact, see. Or perhaps not see but are able to perceive the world around them in a way that one might correlate to having sight. When you converse with the Mutelaloth, please be sure to only ask questions that can be answered with a nod or shake of their head. Asking open-ended questions can sometimes lead to an uncomfortable exchange and challenge working relations, which we of course would rather avoid.

The next lifeform to discuss are the Gala’guthic’alar, or the Gala for short. We have found that these large individuals tend to be one of the hardest for new employees to build working relations with. Here at S.P.A.C.E. Office, we encourage camaraderie and teamwork. Unless you are working near a Gala. They are not hostile, so please do not panic. However, they are very independent workers, and can sometimes come across as aggressive if they find someone is in their way of completing their task. Having hundreds of tentacle-like appendages covering their sizable bodies, it can be easy to find oneself in their way and tangled in their limbs. We have had a few medical mishaps in the past but have developed a lasting working plan for these individuals. As long as you stay out of their way, there should be no problems.

Lastly, you may find yourself quite often in the presence of a spectral being called a Poltigoth. These beings can be a little difficult to spot at times, and really you will only notice their presence at the edge of your peripherals. Our recommendation is that if you see slight movement that may initially cause you to panic, please remain calm. Poltigoths come from what humans once referred to as the “afterlife”, which was really just another plane of existence that they simply didn’t understand at the time. As you are human, you may have an instinctual fear upon sensing their presence. I can promise that with time and exposure, you will learn to adapt to these shades.

If you have further questions about your soon-to-be coworkers, we have many in-person and virtual courses available where you can learn all about the culture, customs, and dimensions of the diverse employees that make up S.P.A.C.E. Office.

Next, let us discuss departments and divisions. As new dimensions establish contact and species find their way to our staff, all relevant departments here at S.P.A.C.E. Office undergo an in-depth evaluation to ensure everyone is working in a department and division that they are most suited to and where they are able to put forth the most of their potential. That is not to say that departmental shifts are not possible. Everyone possesses unique talents, even within their own communities. If you feel that you are better suited to work in a different department or division of S.P.A.C.E. Office, there are many opportunities to transfer. Our goal here is to not only ensure that parcels and communications are successfully signed, sealed, and delivered, but that our employees are happy and taken care of. Employees won’t stay if they aren’t happy, and if there are no employees, there is no S.P.A.C.E. Office.

Next, let us discuss liberty policies. As a S.P.A.C.E. Office employee, you are eligible to one of three different employment plans. First, our facility has the means to host living quarters and everyday essentials for nearly every life-form we employ. As a human, we have our Blue Planet Abode, modeled to represent a 21st Century New York from the planet of Earth. We also have a few sub-abodes to accommodate the outer planets and systems.

The working hours for those who choose to live on-site are a constant rotation of 6-Galactic Standard Hours (hereafter referred to simply as “hours”) of work, 18-hours of liberty, with 24-hours of extended liberty following five work rotations. During those 24 hours, you are welcome to travel and portal-cross as you please, as long as you have returned in time for your next shift.

The second employment option we offer is a three-month rotating cycle. For a period of three-months, you will reside in the Blue Planet Abode and work a cycle of 10-hours, with 12-hours of liberty between. Again, you will have 24-hours of extended liberty after five work cycles. After your three months have been completed, you are free to return to your home dimension, or a dimension of your choosing, for a three-month rest period, before repeating this cycle.

Our last option tends to be the most popular. Similar to the first option where you reside in the Blue Planet Abode and work 6-hour shifts. However, instead of residing in employee housing, you are responsible for securing your own housing in a dimension of your choosing and portal-crossing back to S.P.A.C.E. Office for your shift.

Now that we have gone over the basics, it is time to head over to our Public Relations office to speak with an advisor and find the right department for you!

Remember, here at S.P.A.C.E. Office, your happiness and well-being are very important to us. We value our employees and hope that you, in turn, will value the work you do here. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our XR, or Xeno-Resources, department at any time.

Welcome to S.P.A.C.E. Office, new employee, and we look forward to your many years within our family!

August 25, 2023 06:43

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2 comments

S Fevre
09:33 Aug 31, 2023

I really enjoyed this story! Great work on the language with a whole register of appropriate/adapted words like Eons, Portal, Planes of existence, Xenotype, etc. It was also interesting how this future world applied traditional models of social organisation/employment (contracts, site-based accommodation) in a new way. Maybe in a next installment you could tell us about some of the life forms that are easy or fun to work with and what it was like in the SPACE office :-)

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Emilie Ocean
12:54 Aug 28, 2023

Wyrd, that was great! I hadn't read a sci-fi in a while - I forgot how much I loved them. I smiled at the use and explanation of Poltigoth beings and found your description of S.P.A.C.E Office fascinating. Thank you for sharing this story with us :)

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