The Mimics part 1 (Feedback wanted)

Lieutenant Lealiah Boulevard watched carefully as the humans all docked into the port, carefully profiling each of them. A large man tripped off the gangplank, and the lieutenant gently stopped the line until the man could stumble away and get his land legs back. She noticed one of the few women coming down off the ship. Her black dress contrasted her fading white corset, and sitting boldly on her head was a faded purple, felt sun hat. Her brown hair matched her watchful eyes, and she carried a lute on her back. The ship captain, Captain Richards, made his way down.

“Did you make it all right, no trouble?” Lealiah inquired, Captain Richards shook his head.

“No trouble, clear skies this trip. And no pirates too,”

“That’s good to hear, sir,” she said with a wave. Good business to know all the frequent captains, and Richards was a good captain, and a good man.

“How are the kids?” He asked,

“They’re doing just fine. Thanks for asking, Jaxson just turned 8 and now he thinks he’s the boss of everybody, but other than that they are great,” She replied with a smile. “How’s your wife?” Richards smiled

“She’s got number three on the way!”

“Oh, congratulations!” She said in a bright tone. “God bless that woman’s soul!”

“Thank you,” he replied as he disembarked. They then headed their own way.

“Shooo’ that’s a lota silver fir just a bit,” Audrey Rivers complained to the merchant, but handed over the coins, getting a dish full of sweet smells. “It better be as good as you says,” she said as she walked away. Finding a nearby barrel she settled down to eat her food. Though tired from the journey over, it had been a good first day, she had made her way to an inn and managed to play a show on night one, and made good revenue for it. It was like most places, at least near the docks. She had yet to see what she had come for, but it still seemed like a lovely place. And, oh, the food is good. The unidentifiable dish before her was tangy and rich, with a little bit of spice to it, and the meat had a smokey taste. Audrey took in the bustling street around her, a dark-skinned woman with short, curly black hair sat down on the barrel beside her. In the woman’s hand was a spear.

“How are you liking it here so far?” she asked casually.

“It’s a lovely place, with some great food.” Audrey answered, indicated to her meal.

“That’s good,” the woman replied, “I’m Lieutenant Boulevard,” the woman said.

“Pleased ta meet you,” Audrey replied.

“Now, I don’t mean to ruffle your feathers, but I am going to need you to come with me, it will only be for a little while, then you can get back to whatever you’re doing,” the lieutenant said casually.

“I don’t think I did anythin’ wrong, did I?” she asked nonchalantly.

“We’ll see... you can finish your meal first though, just let me know when you’re ready to go,” Audrey spooned the last of her food in her mouth.

“We can go,” she said as she stood up. The lieutenant led her to a building where there were already people gathered, all who were on the ship that she came in.

“Constance!” Audrey smiled across the room as she saw her friend.

“Do you know what this is all about?” Constance inquired in her dainty voice.

“I sure don’t, maybe somethin’ is wrong with the ship, or somethin’s missin’ from it,” she speculated. They waited for a while, talking about what they had already seen that day, until the very short woman with the paper walked in again,

“Audrey Rivers?” She called. Audrey was led down the hall into a room with the lieutenant that she had met a little while before. Lieutenant Boulevard was holding a quill and had a paper before her. In the corner was a tall guard, whose face was obscured by the dark.

“I just have a few questions for you.”

The woman before her spoke with a sweet and drawling accent. Her purple hat made her easily identified.

“Ms. Rivers, what is the purpose of your stay here?”

“I’m a traveling musician, and here seemed a good a place as any.”

“Is there any other reason you would be here?”

“Other than I like to travel, I s’pose.”

“And where all have you been since you disembarked?”

“I guess da inn, and the market place is all I've managed ta see.”

“Thank you, which inn was it?” The lieutenant asked.

“I think it t’was called the Yellow Star. It t’was the one on the eastern side of town, nearest the docks,”

“Okay,” Lealiah copied Ms. River’s whereabout on her paper “Is there anyone to confirm your whereabouts?”

“The innkeeper, and anyone else who was there. Why you are you asking me these things? If you’s allowed ta say.” The girl before her said. The lieutenant paused,

“There’s been a few kids who have gone missing, and the St. Andress was the only one to disembark yesterday,” she answered.

“Well I can promise you, I never would touch young‘uns, I hope that you find them.”

“I really hope so,” Leahliah said ruefully. Suddenly, the guard in the corner walked over to Lealiah and whispered in her ear. She glanced back at the young woman before her, taking a long look.

“One more question before you go... Are you human?” the lieutenant asked carefully, leaning her arms on the table.

“Course I am,” the woman answered quickly... Too quickly.

“Course you are, of course you are,” The lieutenant echoed. “Lock her up,” she suddenly commanded.

“What?! What did I do? I told ya I would never touch them young‘uns!” the woman said hysterically.

“But you lied to an officer, I would like to know why,” the lieutenant stated plainly.

“But- I am human,” she cried, her eyes casting around for help. The guard from the corner grabbed her wrists, she did not resist. As the guard led her away, he turned too quickly for her around a corner, and her arm knocked harshly on the rough brick wall. The young woman recoiled suddenly causing the young soldier to point his spear towards her. She straightened and he led her away, her shoulders tense, and hands clenched tightly behind her back.

Audrey sat in her cell, rubbing the small cut on her arm. Carefully watching the guards, she waited for the exchange. There were only a few other prisoners in the cells beside her, but no one spoke to her. Finally, the new watch came in, it was time to make her move.

Lealiah poured over the city map as one of the new recruits was bringing a tray to their prisoner. She traced her finger along on of the roads.

“One of the abandoned buildings...”

“Um... Lieutenant?” the concerned recruit said, interrupting her thoughts.

“Yes?”

“We have a problem with the prisoner,”

“What problem?” She hissed as she rushed over to the cell,

“That’s not the prisoner,” said the recruit, pointing into the cell.

“Travis!?” She yelled at her guard. The large dwarf did not stir in the cell. She opened up the door, which was locked, and felt his pulse. It was there, and it was faster than it should have been, but he was alive.

“I thought that he went home after his shift was over,”

“Yeah, I thought so too...”

“Your order, sir?” The rookie officer asked,

“Get Travis to the medical center, I have to go meet with the general,” She said with a sigh, “and I have to set an alert, we have a prisoner on the loose.”

Lieutenant Boulevard rushed to the general’s office.

“General?” She burst within without knocking.

“What’s the problem?”

“As you know, the seven children from the orphanage are still missing, we now have our suspects. There are four men missing from the St. Andress. They are the prime suspects, and we are doing everything in our power to find them.” The general nodded.

“I have called Lucille to bring some blood hounds over so we can track them,” he informed her.

“There’s one more thing general,” she added,

“What?”

“Our prisoner escaped.”

“Great,” The general sighed, he tapped his foot, pausing for a long moment, pondering his next words, “When Lucille gets here, have one of her blood hounds go and find the prisoner.”

“Yes, sir.”