Roy Masters 07

They went back much of the lobby was empty. A man in a fancy Silver Uniform came from behind the service desk and said."Ah there you are! Mr. Masters. On behalf of Gray Lines I would like to thank you for your service to the Union and not the least to our company. You are of course our guest and may travel free of charge. The Executive suite has been reserved for you." Roy blinked." Thank you, Sir. How about Partner, my companion?" "Of course it is extended to your Animal as well!" The man bowed and said." Boarding has started and the ship leave in less than two hours." Roy thanked the man again and then said. "How about the lady?" Cara laughed." No worries I am being taken care off!" So they went to the wide slide belt and traveled underneath a transparent tunnel across the landing field. The ship was huge! Of course he knew how ArtiGrav and all that worked but it was still amazing to think this mass of metal would later lift off and fly. He said."How come the President of the United Stars came to this backwater system in a civilian craft? Would he not travel in the Space borne One?" "It's actually classified information, but I don't think it will hurt to tell you." "I don't want you to get into trouble, Ma'am. If its secret, it's secret." "It's quite alright. I have certain liberties when it comes to things like that. I am not sure if you know about the current situation, on a galacto-political level I mean." "Sorry, no." He felt a little embarrassed now." I know I should keep more up with these things, especially now that I am an adult." "No worries, yesterday you still were a teenager and they generally don't pay all too much attention to things like that." The slide belt tunnel ended where it was attached to the main Air lock to the Ship and she said." It is going to be a longer story. So I tell you after we settled in. We do have a few weeks of travel ahead of you, before we reach Sares." The Lobby took Roy's breath away. It was a huge hall with the ceiling at least 100 meters above. The Entire front area of the ships 'breast' was transparent. From floor to ceiling and at least 300 meters wide. the floors polished crème colored marble. Lush dark red and silver seat groups on carpet like islands. Transparent Elevator tubes connected the lobby with the terrace like levels opposite the transparent wall. A waterfall lid with colored lights behind the service counter, fed a gargling little stream that went in serpentines across the Lobby, Islands of grass and Trees and little bridges. Most amazed was he by the fact some people actually sad on the grass or were sitting in chairs right beneath the trees! They all knew just like Greenies what to do around dangerous plants! Then he saw birds, with long feathered tails and his hand fell on the butt of his Blaster. His Danger Sense had not yet warned him, but maybe it didn't work on all alien plants or animals. He stepped before the lady and said." Be careful Ma'am there are birds lose!" She laughed a bright laughter." Roy, those are Terran peacocks and a Para Para Paradise birds, they are about as dangerous as a stuffed plush animal. Also don't worry the only danger from this grass is, when you sit on it with white clothing and you might get grass stains. On the other hands I am almost certain that they engineered it so it would not even do that!" "But how does the Grass, the Trees and those birds defend themselves?" "They don't Roy! You can do whatever you want to those things and you won't get a reaction at all. The birds might try to flee or fly away." Now it was his turn to shake his head." Uncle Sam was right, the outside Universe is weirder than I thought!" At the service desk a non humanoid being with tentacles, but also wearing a silver uniform greeted them and after Cara identified herself and Roy. The rust brown being folded its tentacles and said." The Executive Suite has been reserved for you, Mr. Masters and a Mr. Partner. The Princess Suite across from yours will be for you, Ms. Cara Saresii. Do you have any luggage, Mr. masters?" He pointed at his bag, he had strapped to Partners back. "Only that." A man in a dark business suit with only a small silver pin shaped like the ship on his collar was summoned. He was human and he asked them to follow him. While they followed the man turned his head. " We do have secure safe facilities were you can store that weapon, Sir." "You mean you want to take my gun?" "No not take it, Sir. Merely lock it away. Most of our guests might become a little nervous though. it usually is company policy to lock personal weapons away." Cara said." Other guest do not travel in the Presidential Suite." "Oh of course. I was merely offering." Even though the elevators were designed to accommodate large beings. With Partner it was a bit crowded and the man was obviously not entirely comfortable with the beast so close to him. He managed to keep a very nervous smile. The Elevator carried us swiftly to the upmost level. Roy walked over to the brass and glass railing and looked down. The entire lobby could be seen from here and one had an awesome view through the huge viewport across the entire landing field, some of the above ground Space port buildings and the stark rocky landscape of the planet. He turned to the patiently waiting man and Clara and asked." Will they close this viewport at lift off?" "No Sir, it remains transparent the entire time." "So I could stand here and see us go in space?" "Most certainly Sir, but why would you want to stay out here?" Then pointed at a wide double wood door and said."The Presidential Suite, Sir. The door is keyed and recognizes you. If you choose to add others simply tell the door when the other person is present. Revoking such rights is equally simple!" The door opened and they went in. On the swan like ship it would be all the way on the top of the chest and all the way on the left, just before the long neck like part of the ship begun. the room was huge and furnished with much of Pre Astro style furniture his Dad liked so much. Tick soft carpet, rugs of intricate design on top, a seating group, the largest Virtu Emerge Set he had ever seen , a desk and a big view port next to a glass door! Roy pointed at the door."Some kind of emergency exit?" The man stared at him as if he made a stupid joke. "No of course not. It is the door to your balcony. A much better and private place to enjoy the lift off and all. He went with Roy to the glass door, it slid open and they stepped on a small balcony that was on the outside of the ship. The Guest manager said." Refraction free transparent Ultronit bubble. It will later be able to watch deep space from here as if you would be outside." "Ah okay! And where is the bed?" "In your master bed room of course." Now the man looked at him and Roy could see he was thinking." What kind of idiot is he?" It turned out the suite had its own pool, a Master bed room, a guest bed room and a bathroom with auto dresser. He knew what an E Deck ticket cost, he wondered what one like this was. The man went to the door." All ships recreation areas are listed in the directory. The Gambling areas will be open after we are in space. Gray Lines and the Crew of the Silver Swan wishes you a pleasant journey. Next scheduled planet fall will be in seven days on Odenworld." Cara said." Why don't you and Partner settle in while I get my rooms. I will pick you up at eight for dinner." "Yes Ma'am." He took the pack of Partner and petted his friend a little while." I am sure glad you are here. If I had to go through this crazy day myself I probably would have gone insane by now." Partner sneezed and made certain, Roy knew it was glad as well and gave Roy a big dry lick across the face. He threw his arms as much around partners immense neck and hugged it. "I guess I could try this Schwartz guy and ask him if he has a Fury Hound." A melodic gong chimed and a voice said." Dear Passengers, we will lift off in 35 minutes and will close ship in twelve minutes." To Partner he said." Let's go on our Balcony I never rode a spaceship into space on the outside." From Partner he got mental images of deep space, distant suns and planets as they looked from space." "So you have traveled before." It was not entirely clear what the images of suns and planets meant but Partner sneezed so it had to be good. A comfortable Vari-Matic chair on the balcony adjusted to his body size and a small table rose from the floor. A floating display of a menu appeared. He brushed his finger over the drinks section and brushed through the non-tox section. Pushed for a Coke and it appeared moments later on the table. On the landing field the slide belt sank below the surface. A towering robot ,as tall as the ship with 12 long tentacle arms rolled away. Green lights flashed now between markings on the landing field. In the distance he saw a robot arm turning holding a shuttle. It immediately climbed into the sky. It was the Green Hell shuttle he was certain, even though he could not tell from this distance. He was on a planet only one orbit removed from his home world and he already felt like he was light years away from everything he knew. His live could not have been more different from how it was only yesterday. "Dear Passengers, we are now ready for Takeoff." There was a slight vibration going through the ship causing little ripples in his coke and the ship was moving. Slowly raising, leaving the ground behind. The entire crater was now visible and he saw surface buildings here and there and lights here and there on the surface. the rough features soon became smooth and details faded. The balcony was suddenly surrounded by whisks of clouds of the planets thin atmosphere. The planets curved horizon became darker by the second. A new slightly stronger vibration made itself felt and he could see a bright shine from below the ship. They had switched from ArtiGrav to main engines. The planet fell fast behind, became a dirty gray and brown ball with some white dashes. Maxell the systems sun glared bright as the ship changed course, but some automatic filter made it safe to look right into small bright ball. He hoped against all better knowledge to see Green Hell. Of course he would never be able to tell if one of the dots was green hell. Space was incredible. His eye no longer found a horizon and the blackness went on forever. But the stars were beautiful. ________________________________________