True to his word, four days later, Aldin entered the Parliament chamber. He took the seat cushion indicated to him down front near the visitor’s circle.

“Representative Daon of the Northeast Hills Region has the floor.”

The fox descended to the bottom of the chamber and turned to the other representatives. “As requested by the other members of Parliment, I, personally summoned Aldin Busheytail the Younger, Embassador of the Nah-mah-can’t-ah Free Squirrels of the planet Terra to this session. As you are aware, he suffered serious illness recently and was just discharged from the hospital earlier this week. Fortunately, as you can see, he’s on the mend. I have been asked to speak on this matter as the Embassador is currently living in my Region.”

Daon turned to Aldin. “Embassador, you’ve been summoned here in person due to complaints about you filed by various citizens in several Regions.”

Aldin’s tail began to wigwag. He fought down the fear brought on by the sudden and vague accusations. If this wasn’t as “bad as he feared” he’d dread to learn what Daon meant by “truly bad”.

“It seems you’ve been working for barter instead of credit payment for the work rendered. A farmer in the High Lakes Region reported you traded your time in a meet-and-greet at his farm in exchange for your weight, roughly half a kilo, in cheese. At a day care, you played with the children for a click in exchange for produce from the day care provider’s garden. I could list dozens more complaints like this. The largest complaint came from Nadowahoc College where you have been ‘volunteering’ since last fall assisting Dr. Raoul Kaynobble with his wild cousin squirrel research.”

Aldin’s tail wigwagged rapidly. Why didn’t Dr. Kaynobble speak to me directly on this? raced through his mind.

Daon looked directly at Aldin. “This is in direct violation of our laws in which one must be paid fairly in credits for the work they’ve rendered. We understand about diplomatic immunity, Embassador. However, these violations need to stop.

“It takes two to commit this crime, the laborer and the employer. Charges against your various employers have been waived as they all filed complaints. All the complaints were the same. When they tried to pay you in credits, they couldn’t. They were blocked from doing so. Dr. Kaynobble’s staff even tried to pay the Embassy account and that, too, was blocked. Which, we deduce is why you bartered.” He paused looking at Aldin.

“Yes, Representative. While the Embassy account provides a way for me to charge for purchases. That account is strictly for Embassy-related expenses such as my travel from the Forest Hills Region to this session of Parliament. I wasn’t sure what else I could do to pay for personal purchases including basic necessities such as food. It would not be right for me to charge personal purchases to the Embassy account.”

Daon nodded. “Upon investigation, we determined the root cause of the problem, which had forced you to barter. On behalf of all present, we apologize for the oversight of those who came before us and didn’t realize this when you first arrived among us. By our current laws, only a citizen can be employed and paid. Please understand, we haven’t had a non-citizen on Earth in a little over two-hundred years. The world network credit payment system was implemented roughly 50 years ago. There was no need to program into the system a way to pay non-citizens as non-citizens hadn’t existed in over 150 years at that time. Research was conducted by those present who serve in the finance sector to see what can be done to rectify the problem.”

Daon paused and shook his head. “Those who created the system were either optimistic that the world would forever remain united or it simply never occurred to them that maybe someday we’d make contact with another civilization. The best estimates our financial people can give to recode our financial system to allow non-citizens to work and get paid, without breaking the rest of the system is about a year. Part of the problem is that the code hasn’t been touched in decades.”

Aldin cut in. “There is a saying back home. ‘If it is not broken, do not try to fix it.’ I understand what your programmers may be up against. You fix one line of code and it will break three others.”

Daon nodded. “Exactly. But that solution doesn’t resolve the issue for some time. So, we had to come up with a different solution, which also took some research.” Daon looked toward the Chancellor’s podium where a brown bat wearing pince-nez style spectacles stood. “I surrender the floor to the Chancellor.”

The bat nodded. “Yes, from here, it becomes my duty. Embassador, please come forward.” Aldin complied. The bat fiddled a moment with his spectacles and scrolled through his flatpanel a moment looking for something. “Ah, here it is. My apologies for not being better prepared.”

The bat turned to the Representatives. “Al-din Bush-E-tail the Younger of Terra has lived among us for the past,” he glanced down again, “six-and-a-half months. In that time, he has contributed to our society. Despite the employment violations beyond his control he has obeyed our other laws. When one of our members in a previous Parliament was unjustly accused of crime and punished, he fought for that citizen’s release and to clear his name. He has served as a goodwill Representative,” the bat paused a moment, “or as his people call his position, Embassador. I have read through testimony from several parents on how he interacted with their children speaking and playing at their level. Dr. Raoul Kaynobble of Nadowahoc College provided extensive recorded verbal testimony on how the Embassador has advanced his research. These are just a few examples of how he has served among us.” The bat paused a moment and looked about. “Does anyone have any complaints beyond the employment issue to file against the Embassador?”

The Chancellor paused again and there were none. Inside he sighed with relief hoping this would go just as in the rehearsal the week before.

“This Parliament has also heard from roughly a dozen citizens testifying that the Embassador has confided in them that given a choice, even if a way back to Terra was found, he’d prefer to remain on Earth.” The bat looked directly at Aldin. “Is this true, Embassador?”

“Yes, given the choice, I would stay here. Though, if there were a way, I would go home briefly and encourage others to flee our war and resettle here.” He looked around the chamber, “with permission, of course,” he added.

The bat nodded. “Given the programming difficulties of our currency system, there is only one other solution at hand. You’ll need to become a citizen.” Aldin’s mind began to race with a combination of excitement, surprise and touch of dread, though he had no idea why he felt that last bit. The bat droned on without pause. “We have not naturalized someone in over two hundred years. Based on what we could find in the old laws, you have met the minimum residency requirement of 5 months. You have received positive testimony from at least three non-related citizens. Are you willing to become a citizen?”

The question caught Aldin off guard and his hesitation was noticed by all within the chamber. His tail wigwagged back and forth a couple times. “My apologies for not answering quickly, Chancellor. You have surprised me. I am honored by the offer.” Aldin bowed. “Yes, I would accept the honor of becoming an Earth citizen.

“Very well. Al-din Bush-E-tail the Younger, please face me, and raise your left hand…er forepaw.” Aldin did so as his tail twitched slightly back and forth. The Chancellor paused again and then looked directly at Aldin. “Repeat after me and fill in the appropriate terms where necessary. I, state your name and species.”

Again he hesitated. “Chancellor, before I do so, I need a little assistance.”

The Chancellor blinked at the interruption. “With what?”

“I am not sure what species to call myself. Genetically, I am an altered wild cousin squirrel, but I think some citizens and some Representatives present would object if I declared that as my species.”

There were some murmurs in the chamber at that.

“And I cannot just call myself a squirrel as I am not an Earth squirrel either.” Aldin paused a moment in thought. “Maybe…” he paused again. “I need help with one word I’m lacking in the common language. What is the difference among those present in this chamber and your wild cousins? What makes you different other than you are larger?”

There was some whispering across the chamber. Finally, a wolf stood.

“The Chancellor recognizes, the Representative of the Acadian Valley District.”

“Thank you, Chancellor. I may not be the best with words. What makes us different is that we are self-aware unlike wild cousins.”

Aldin twitched his tail. Part of him wanted to argue that based on what he’d experienced in the forest preserve, but this wasn’t the time or place. Instead, he asked, “Is there a specific word for that self-awareness?”

“Sentient,” a panda to the wolf’s right chimed in.

The wolf turned to his colleague, thanked him and sat.

“Sentient,” Aldin repeated to himself. “Thank you, Representatives.” He turned back to the Chancellor. “Please forgive me for interrupting the ceremony. I’m really ready now.”

The bat smiled and stared over. “Repeat after me and fill in the appropriate terms where necessary. I, state your name and species.”

“I, Aldin Busheytail the Younger, a Sentient Cousin Squirrel.”

There were a few murmurs in the chamber that quickly quieted at a glance from the Chancellor. He looked back at his flatpanel and then at Aldin. “Pledge that I will bear allegiance.”

“Pledge that I will bear allegiance…”

“…to the United Earth Government.”

“To the United Earth Government.”

“And that I will faithfully observe and preserve the laws of Earth…”

“And that I will faithfully observe and preserve the laws of Earth…”

“And fulfil my duties as an Earth citizen.”

“And fulfil my duties as an Earth citizen.”

The Chancellor smiled and looked to those in the chamber. “Please help me congratulate our newest citizen. Citizen Al-din Bush-E-tail the Younger is our first non-native born citizen in a little over two-hundred years.”

Loud cheering erupted around the chamber. After it trailed off, the Chancellor turned again to Aldin. “Citizen Aldin, this Parliament requests that you remain in your post as Embassador Representative for your people on Terra.”

“As requested, I shall continue to serve, Chancellor.” Aldin bowed.

“While you serve as such, you are exempt from the Representative lottery. We had to adjust the law slightly. Previously, it only referred to Citizens serving as a Representative of our government to another.”

The bat turned to the chamber. “Is there any other business we need to conduct today?” He paused to the silence. “Then please join us next door to celebrate this special occasion.” The bat slammed his gavel on the podium. “This day’s session is adjourned!”

Immediately, Aldin was surrounded by well-wishers. As a group they departed to the reception.