1 The Questioning

Varsha took a deep breath before opening the door. There were two women clad in a Navy Blue Saree and white, starched, Cotton blouse. They carried a long staff in their right hands which appeared to be more ceremonial than an actual weapon. Most probably they never faced much problem from inmates. Besides, who would think of causing trouble when the authorities seemed to be providing five star facilities in prisons and rehabilitation homes?

"We have orders to present you in the counselling room." The women on Varsha's left said.

"Sure. Let's go." Varsha followed them. They went through corridors that had been painted artistically using oil paint. It gave a cheerful, bright look with all the multitude of colours used as per the themes portrayed. It would lift the spirits of even the most pessimistic person in the universe. She had to agree that these humans did have a different approach towards life.

"What are those wonderful paintings? Who is that gifted artist who came up with those masterpieces?" She couldn't help asking raising her hand to touch them and see if they had been freshly painted.

"Don't or you will get shocked again. Visitors are not allowed to touch those paintings." Replied one of the women. "They were done by school children as part of the "Mana Sanskruti" programme launched by the government to paint these walls to portray our culture. A nationwide campaign was launched and children painted these walls whenever they had time. Each school was given a theme and a portion of the wall was allotted to them. The result is for you to see."

"Great! I must really appreciate the initiative to create awareness in the children as well as bring out their skills. You must be really lucky to have such a wonderful ruler. You are not so bad after all, though you are just underdeveloped humans." Varsha complimented them. She wished to see this human monarch who thought so much about his people.

"Err... can I meet your Ruler? Who is your monarch?"

"Enter!" one of the women said opening a thick steel door after typing the unlock code and scanning her palm.

Varsha quashed her questions entering the room that looked like a conference room. There was a long table shaped like a horse shoe with chairs arranged neatly all along the length of the table. A small mike had been place before each chair. All the chairs were comfortable, cushion chairs that could adapt automatically to the person sitting in them. Two emergency exits were placed in the two corners of the room.

A man of 30 years sat in a chair at the head of the table as shown below:

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A chair had been placed opposite him where Varsha had to sit. If it made her nervous, she didn't show it. She walked with the air of someone who was used to ordering people around and getting her own way. She sat in the chair with the grace of a queen.

She looked at the man clad in a grey suit that fit him perfectly. Most probably it was designed specifically for him. He had shaved making him look younger than he actually might be. He appeared to be in total control of the situation. His dark black eyes seemed to probe her mind trying to unlock the secrets hidden in it.

'Interesting,' she thought. Was he a mind reader? Had the humans progressed so much? Perhaps they were not as primitive as she had thought. She tried reading his thoughts but found a barrier. What? Why was she unable to penetrate the mind of a mere human? She tried again but couldn't fathom his thoughts.

*******

Doctor Kamal studied the woman before him. 'She must be a teenager. Twenty years at the most. But there was an arrogance of being used to commanding others. She may have been born in a rich family or was or perhaps still is the daughter of an officer.

She has a divine beauty and grace that is far above her age. People would kill for her. Kingdoms would be lost if she put her mind to it. A dangerous beauty! What was such a divine beauty doing here on earth? She seems very composed. Very difficult to read! Hmmm! An interesting Challenge! It would be very satisfying to unravel the secrets of this woman.'

"Hello. I am Doctor Kamal, the Psychiatrist. I have been asked to speak with you and put you at ease, solving any issues you may be facing. What happens in this room is confidential and will remain between you and me. It need not go beyond the walls of this room if all is well. The government wants to know what I think about you. Let me tell you, we don't find women claiming to be princesses of alien worlds.

It means two things; either the person is speaking the truth or the person is light in the head. In the first case the person would be handed over to the Space Affairs Department for debriefing and further processing. In the second case, the person will be sent to the local Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre for treatment. It is my job to decide where to send you.

I will be asking you a few questions and you will be answering those questions truthfully. If, at any point of time, I feel you are hiding something, I will recommend a truth test. After that your fate will be decided by the authorities. Let me warn you, it won't be this pleasant if that happens.

So, shall we start?" he stared at face trying to gauge her reactions. She had shown no visible reaction to his words. She must either be a very good actor or really innocent. He couldn't decide which.

"Yes. You may proceed." Was she trying to mock him? Why did he feel as if she was patronising him? He shook off the uneasy feeling and started his interrogation.

"What is your name?"

"Varsha, Daughter of the Great Galactic Emperor Manoj Bhupathi, of the Shakti Clan, of the Great Galactic Empire of Ambapuram, in the Garuda System of the Athreya Galaxy."

"Do you always speak in such long sentences Princess Varsha?" he stressed the word princess implying his disbelief.

"No. Most of the times I do not speak at all!" she replied in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

Kamal raised his right eyebrow a bit and resumed his questions.

"So, Princess Varsha, assuming you are a princess, where are your attendants? A princess does not go travelling alone to unknown worlds. Where are your guards?"

There was an extreme sadness in the face of the woman. All that arrogance and sense of entitlement was lost and was replaced by a deep gloom that was heartbreaking.

"I was banished from my empire for something I never did."

"What was that, if I may ask? Please remember, I may not be able to change what happened to you. But I can decide what is going to happen to you. Please trust me. I am the key to your future."

The woman took a deep sigh and was silent as if debating whether she should speak the truth or whether she should lie. Kamal leaned back in his chair allowing the woman more time to decide. Some things were better if they were not rushed.

"I-I-I don't know if you will believe it, but I was accused of treason and was banished by a trial court." Her face looked determined to speak the truth and face the consequences. "They presented fabricated evidence to prove I was guilty. I can never go back to my home."

"Are they placed on the official records on your planet?"

"Yes."

"When did this happen?"

"In the year 9271."

"Are you a time traveller?"

"No. Why?"

"Does your nation possess any device enabling time travel?"

"Perhaps. I do not know."

"What do you intend to do here?"

"I wish to seek honourable employment and earn an honest living."

"What skills do you have?"

"The heir apparent to the throne is trained in martial arts and all forms of combat. Additionally, if the heir apparent is a woman, she is trained in fine arts like dance, music, painting etc. This is in addition to training in basic healing, cooking, and house-keeping. We are taught everything that would help us survive behind the enemy lines if we were captured during a war." She said with a pride in her voice that was too genuine to fake.

"Do you have battle experience?"

"Yes. I fought in the wars of Al Sadr and Felusia as a Captain of the Special Task Forces. We were tasked with capturing the most vital and fiercely defended enemy strongholds."

"Did you take up any civilian jobs?"

"Well, the heir apparent doesn't need to do anything. But I have supervised charity work, overseen construction of healing centres for the public, etc."

"So, who taught you all this?"

"The Chief Royal Teacher trains us in these things."

"And in lying too, I suppose."

"How dare you accuse me of lying!" her nostrils flared in anger as her face became red as a tomato. Her body became stiff, ready to pounce on him and beat him to death for the offence. The anger seemed genuine. Only a gifted actor could portray such perfectly displayed anger. He watched her in silence trying to decide whether she was faking. Such anger could not be sustained for long if it was faked.

He waited patiently watching for a reaction. The anger didn't seem to fade. It had to be genuine. There was a possibility this girl was speaking the truth.

"There is one flaw in your argument."

"And, Pray what is that?" her voice rang with anger at the insult on her clan, her family, her nation and her values. "We do not lie like the lowly humans! We do not treat our word lightly. Cheating and lying is prohibited in our culture. We might die but we will never speak an untruth!" her eyes blazed at him as if challenging him to refute her statement. No actor, no matter how gifted they might be, could fake that expression.

"I am sorry if I offended you Princess." He spoke sincerely putting all his regret in his voice. "It is the year 8672 here on our planet." There was a shock on the lady's face which was quickly replaced by hope.

"That's wonderful news! Perhaps, I can go back to my empire after all. This opens a lot of possibilities." She said excited.