Chapter 8

 

Rajesh stood on the roof of his factory building.  The tallest and largest of the buildings within his territory.  Next to him his uncle stood quietly, leaning slightly forward and squinting at the figure below.  The two of them were observing as one of Rajesh’s peasants walked slowly and with great hesitation across an open field.  On the opposite side of that field was the area claimed by the slime creatures.

“Tell him to go faster.  We don’t have all day.” Rajesh commanded.  “We need to know if the jelly creatures can communicate.”

His uncle sighed.  “Gelatinous.  Not jelly.” he replied before speaking into the handheld radio.  Both men saw the nervous peasant jump when his radio spoke to him.  He turned his head back to look at the observers on the roof, stumbling slightly in the tall grass.  The unfortunate volunteer did as he was told, moving slightly faster toward the line of shrubs that concealed an upright maintenance entrance to the city’s network of storm drainage tunnels.

Rajesh snorted in derision when the man began to frantically wave a stick with a white cloth tied to one end.  “They’re aliens, uncle.  The white flag will likely have no meaning to them.  For all we know, they may consider that fool’s gyrations to be a hostile act.”

Agni nodded solemnly at his nephew’s statement.  “I explained that to him.  But the flag makes him feel a little less nervous, and he insisted on taking it along.  I could not refuse him.”

Both men watched as their emissary reached the shrub line, slowing to a standstill and leaning forward to peek through the greenery.  A few more hesitant steps, and he was passing through the shoulder-height shrubs.  Now all they could see of him was his head as it moved slowly toward the concrete structure.  He took a dozen more steps before halting suddenly.

“There!” Rajesh pointed, his voice excited.  “One of the jellies is emerging!”

The man on the ground froze, his white flag held out in front of him shaking slightly as terror gripped him. The gelatinous being facing him did not approach, remaining just inside the five-foot wide tunnel opening.  Standing about waist high in a roughly cubic form with rounded corners, its body quivered slightly.  Sunlight reflected off of multiple objects within its form.  Agni raised a set of binoculars, trying to make out details. 

“The creature’s body contains… several bones.  A small skull, probably a rat.  And some kind of silver sphere near its center.”

Not caring in the slightest, Rajesh commanded.  “Tell him to make contact.  Speak to it!”

Agni dutifully relayed the message, speaking softly into his own radio, not wanting the peasant’s radio to emit any harsh sounds that might trigger an attack.  “You’re doing fine.  The creature is not approaching.  Take a deep breath, and try speaking to it.”

The man’s head nodded briefly, and he lowered the white flag.  Agni and Rajesh were much too far away to hear anything, but they could see him hold out his free hand as he appeared to speak to the creature.  After nearly a minute with no response from the gelatinous being, Agni spoke into his radio again.

“Try tossing it a piece of the meat we gave you.  Toss it close, but try not to hit it.  We don’t want it to think you’re attacking.”

Again Rajesh snorted, this time chuckling to himself.  “Meat attack.”

They watched as the man reached into a bag hanging from his shoulder.  He extracted a lump of meat and carefully tossed it underhand toward the creature.  The meat landed less than a foot in front of it, and Rajesh clapped his hands.  “Well done!”

They watched as the creature’s body trembled once, then began to slide forward, its lower surface undulating much like a snail’s body as it moved to engulf the meat.  All three men stared as the offering was slurped up into the creature’s body, where it immediately began to break down, the digestive enzymes within the gelatin working quickly. 

Encouraged, the man didn’t wait to be given instructions.  He produced a second chunk of meat and tossed it over to the creature.  Unfortunately, his aim this time was not as precise. Agni gasped and held his breath when the treat actually struck the front surface of the creature’s body and stuck there.  The impact caused a reactive ripple through the gelatinous substance, and the creature’s core flashed from silver to red in an instant. 

Even as the meat was absorbed into the body, the creature elongated its form, extending itself upward until it stood as tall as the man it faced.  The body began to lean backward, and the emissary took a retreating step of his own, dropping the flag and raising both hands in front of himself.  Agni imagined the man was speaking placating words, apologizing whole-heartedly for accidentally striking the creature. 

“What is it-?” Rajesh didn’t finish his question as both men witnessed the creature’s response.  The upper portion of the elongated body snapped forward, the base remaining in place.  A glob of the creature’s flesh shot across the distance between it and the unfortunate man it faced.  The man had no time to react, other than to raise his outstretched hands slightly to protect his face.  The flying glob struck both hands, which did manage to block some, but not all, of the substance.  The remainder passed between and struck the man’s lower face, neck, and chest.

There were several seconds of stunned silence, the man looking at his hands, then down at his chest, before the flesh began to melt and the screaming started.  He turned to run, his hands frantically swiping at the slime on his face and chest, though all he was doing was smearing it around, spreading it further.  He stumbled through the shrubs and several yards into the field before his screams turned into a wet gurgle as the acidic substance ate into his throat.  A few steps further, and he fell silently, facedown in the tall grass.  Rajesh and Agni watched as his body twitched a few times, then went still.

Agni cursed loudly as both men’s eyes returned to the creature that had just killed their emissary.  It had not left the concrete area between the tunnel walls.  Two similar creatures had advanced to either side of it, and all three seemed unwilling to move further out of the tunnel, despite the enticing meal laying just a short distance away. 

“That fool!”  Rajesh stomped one foot like a petulant child, an action his uncle had seem him repeat often as he grew up.  “You specifically told him not to hit the jelly!  Incompetence!  I’m surrounded by incompetence!”

Feeling shaken himself, Agni tried to calm his nephew.  “I’m sure it was not intentional, Rajesh.  The man was terrified.  And he paid dearly for his mistake.”

“Get me another volunteer!  One who won’t piss himself in the face of danger.” Rajesh demanded, stomping toward the door that would lead him back downstairs.

Agni shook his head, despairing at the uncaring attitude of his Earl.  After a few deep, calming breaths, he spoke quietly into his radio again.  “Three of you, go and retrieve the body.  Move slowly, and keep your eyes on the creatures.  If they advance, you retreat.” He paused, looking at the location where the body had fallen, unable to see it in the tall grass.  “And wear gloves.  Take a plastic tarp to wrap him in.  Don’t touch any of the contaminated areas if you can help it.”

*****

 

 

Allistor took Amanda’s hand as they both watched the viewscreen on the bridge of the Phoenix .  Both of their mouths, along with those of the rest of the humans on the bridge, hung open in awe.  They were approaching Allistor’s new space station, and though some part of him had known it would be large, the actual scope of the structure hovering in orbit above Invictus City was mind-blowing.  The towers that he’d discussed with his advisors during their design session dwarfed his tower down in the city.   The main central hub of the station had to be a mile long, or longer.  And the partially forested green area inside the dome at the top end was enormous, looking like a small island floating in space. 

Kira was guiding the ship toward one of the gigantic rings, a small section of which had opened at their approach to reveal a shuttle bay.  The opening had looked tiny from a distance when it first began to open, but now that they were about to pass inside, Allistor could see that there was room for three or four ships the size of his Phoenix in this space. 

Harmon, seeing the look on his friend’s face, laughed aloud.  “This is just one of dozens of shuttle bays on the station, Allistor.  And each of the rings has the capacity for a score of ships to hard dock on their exterior, for passenger and small cargo transfer through the airlocks.”

Amanda squeezed his hand tightly at the mention of airlocks, and Allistor turned to see her eyes were wide, a hint of perspiration on her forehead and upper lip.  “You okay, my empress?”

Her eyes met his, and she shook her head.  “I’m… I dunno.  The idea of walking around in that place just… Allistor it’s basically a giant tin can surrounded by a vacuum.”

Allistor nodded, trying to find words to reassure her, when Harmon helped him out.  “Lady Amanda, I have spent a great many years living aboard stations like this one.  They are built to protect and preserve the lives within.  There are multiple layers of safeguards in place, should a vital component fail, including force fields, pressure doors at every section juncture, reserve oxygen supplies, and constant monitoring by the controlling AIs.  You feel comfortable enough here on this ship, do you not?”  He waited for her to ponder for a moment, then nod.  “Well you are just as safe aboard the station.”

Amanda took a few deep breaths, and her death grip on Allistor’s hand loosened.  “Thank you, Harmon.  I’ll be fine, I think.  Just never expected to, you know, walk around a city in space before.  Takes a little getting used to.”

“Are there gonna be any damned giant spiders walkin around in there?” Meg broke the tension with her anti-bug attitude.  “Cuz I can’t be held responsible if a friggin bug pops out at me from some side door or something.” She held up one of her grenades, which Sam promptly confiscated, blowing his love a kiss when she glared up at him.

“Ha!  No, Lady Meg.  The station is only sparsely inhabited at the moment.  The work crews that are finishing up the last of the modifications are mainly dwarves.  There are a few other races mixed in, but none that should give you… pause.” Harmon smiled at her.  Meg just grumbled quietly in return. 

“And speakin o’ dwarves,” Longbeard pointed toward the screen. “Our greeting party has arrived.”   They all turned toward the view screen, which showed a small contingent of dwarves entering the shuttle bay in front of the ship.

Longbeard led the way as all but the bridge crew headed to the lower deck and the exit ramp.  Allistor followed, still holding Amanda’s hand.  Right behind them were William and the girls, along with Meg, Sam, Ramon, Nancy, Chloe, Michael, Gene, Harmon, Helen, and the remaining three alien advisors.   Fuzzy and Fiona had opted to stay on Earth, Fuzzy showing Allistor a mental image of the woods around Daigath’s home.  Allistor had instructed Nigel to teleport the bears to the Wilderness Stronghold, and back, when they were ready.  In the cargo bay was a small contingent of citizens that were coming along to get familiar with the station’s facilities and operations.  This included several of Gene’s engineers and mechanics, three of their best gardeners, two of the reserve bridge crews in training, and a score of others. 

Stepping off the ramp onto the shuttle bay deck, Longbeard strode forward and shook hands with the lead dwarf of the welcoming party.  After a few claps on the back and some mumbled greetings, Longbeard cleared his throat, and spoke in a loud, formal tone.

“Master Engineer Cogwalker o’ the Stardrifters, I present to ye Planetary Prince Allistor o’ Earth, Emperor o’ planet Orion,  His fiancé Lady Amanda, and their advisors!”

Allistor inclined his head to the exact degree that L’olwyn had coached him to on the flight up, while the dwarves all bowed at the waist.  “Welcome, yer highness, to yer new station.  She ain’t got a name yet, but I’m sure ye’ll be resolvin’ that soon enough.”

“Thank you, Master Cogwalker.  For the welcome, and for your hard work in preparing this incredible structure for us.” Allistor answered.  “And now that formal introductions are complete, please just call me Allistor.” He grinned at the dwarf as somewhere behind him L’olwyn sighed with despair. 

“It’d be my honor, Allistor.” Cogwalker bowed slightly a second time. “And my pleasure to give ye the guided tour o’ this place.  Where would ye like to start?” He motioned toward the double door leading into a wide corridor. 

Allistor looked unsure, glancing at Amanda, then Gene.  “Well, I think we will split up, if you don’t mind.  Gene here and his people would love to see the engineering sections and the inner workings of this place.  And while I’m sure it’s fascinating, I’m afraid I’d be lost in all the technical jargon.  Michael and a few others would like to see the crafting facilities first.” He motioned toward his people, and Cogwalker immediately detailed a couple of his dwarves to escort them as requested. 

“As for the rest of us,” Allistor looked up toward the ceiling.  “I guess we’ll just start at the top.  Does this place even have a ‘top’ and ‘bottom’?  Or is it like a ship, where you have fore, aft, port, and starboard?”

The dwarf chuckled briefly.  “Aye, the answer is yes, to all o’ that.  When navigatin’ a station such as this, ye have upper and lower decks, or up and down.  We orient direction based upon the location o’ the central hub.  So if ye be facin’ the hub and walkin, yer movin inward , or ‘ in ’.  Facin’ out into space, yer movin ‘ out ’.  Lateral direction be a bit harder to get used to.  Again, they be oriented on the hub.  Port be to yer left as ye face the hub, also known as spinward. And starboard would be to yer right.” He paused, waiting for Allistor and the others to indicate their understanding before he continued.  “Each section be numbered and labeled to help ye navigate.  And the AI can give ye the most direct route to yer destination if ye ask.”

To demonstrate this last point, he led them out of the shuttle bay into the adjacent corridor.  The walls were a good twenty feet apart, the ceilings just as high.  Once they’d all gathered around him, he spoke to the AI.   “Matilda, can ye show us the way to the habitat dome?”

“Certainly.” A voice that sounded much like a female dwarf replied.  “Please follow the flashing blue lights to the nearest tram.  Welcome, Emperor Allistor and company.  It is our pleasure to serve you.”   The dwarf pointed at the floor where a series of flashing blue lights led down the corridor and around a nearby corner.

“Thank you, Matilda?” Allistor raised an eyebrow at Cogwalker, who coughed and looked slightly embarrassed. 

“Eh, Matilda were a lass I knew in me younger years.  It be just a temporary name until ye choose one more to yer liking.”

Amanda poked Allistor with her elbow.  “I think Matilda is a wonderful name.”   Allistor just nodded his head, not really caring either way. 

The dwarf cleared his throat, blushing slightly, changing the subject.  “If ye’ll follow the lights, we’ll head to the tram.  It be the fastest way to the central hub, where we can take a lift up to the dome.” He motioned for Allistor and Amanda to take the lead, falling in behind them next to Longbeard.

It was a short stroll around the corner to the waiting tram, which looked like a set of three bullet train cars connected to each other.  The cars were luxuriously appointed, with comfortable seats upholstered in some type of leather.  The walls were an elegant shade of dark green with a pattern that suggested ferns and trees.  The windows were tinted, and several blank viewscreens were scattered around each car. 

“Very comfy.” Meg said as she bounced up and down on one of the seats.  They’d all loaded into the nearest car, and there were more than enough seats for everyone.  Sam took the seat next to hers, leaned back and stretched out his legs. 

“These cars are better appointed than most.” Cogwalker explained.  “The bay you landed in is the VIP shuttle bay.  This is where your wealthiest and most important visitors will normally land and enter the station.”

“VIP, that’s me!” Sam agreed happily. 

A moment later the doors closed, and Matilda warned everyone to take a seat before the trams began to move.  Allistor quickly found out why the windows were tinted when the car moved out of its station and into the tube that extended from the hub out to the ring where the shuttle bay was located.  The tube was mostly clear glass or plastic, with a metal framework, and as soon as they left the station the light from both suns struck the cars. 

“Ooh, it’s beautiful.” Sydney murmured, looking through the windows out into space.  Below them was Earth in all its blue, green, and white glory.  And above the horizon was their new star-filled sky.  The ride was mostly quiet as they all took in the glorious sights, which included an impressive lightning storm on the planet below.  In less than a minute the tram slowed down again, and the doors opened.  More blue lights led Allistor and friends into the hub.  They crossed another wide corridor, a short distance beyond which was a bank of elevators.  The blue lights led them to a specific elevator, the innermost of the set.  As Allistor approached, the doors opened on their own, and everyone boarded.  The size of the lift car surprised Allistor.  With more than twenty beings in the car with him, there was room for at least that many more.  He could have parked an ambulance inside the thing. 

The moment the doors closed, the lift began to rise.  There were no floor indicators, but Allistor got the impression of great speed.  Which made sense, since they were going upward roughly a quarter mile to get to the habitat dome at the tip of the hub. 

In what seemed like no time at all, the lift came to a stop.  As the doors opened to reveal the habitat within the upper dome, audible gasps escaped from most of the people behind him.  Amanda squeezed his hand tightly, and to his left, William mumbled “Whoa!”

Allistor stepped out of the car, his eyes drifting upward from the vast meadow in front of him to the tall trees in the near distance, all the way up to the clear dome above them, and the stars beyond.  There was a moment of dizziness as his mind struggled to process what his eyes were taking in.  He blinked a few times, focusing on a cluster of stars that were brighter than the others, and taking a deep breath to steady himself.  “That’s… wow.  This place is amazing.  Beautiful!” he lowered his gaze again, taking a deep breath of air that had the clean, earthy smell of nature.  “How is there already a grove of full grown trees?” He turned to look at their dwarf tour guide.

“There be a gaggle o’ druids here with me team, helpin ta set up all yer habitats.  At least, the basics required fer oxygen production and minimal food crops ye requested.” He paused to motion to one side of the dome.  “Walk with me, and I’ll show ye.”

The others turned to follow Cogwalker, and Allistor noted that the elevator was housed in a simple square metal structure that protruded up through the center of the grassy meadow.  The dwarf was headed directly toward the dome’s perimeter, he and the others leaving a trail in the tall grass.   Motion off to his right caught Allistor’s attention, and he saw a head pop up above the grass.  The creature wasn’t one he recognized, with a wide head, oversized eyes and a small nose that protruded outward slightly above an extremely wide mouth.  When the creature noticed his gaze, it waved a tiny hand and smiled, revealing a large number of very sharp teeth.  It nodded its head slightly, causing two large, almost winglike ears to flap in Allistor’s direction. 

“Uh, hello there.” Allistor called out, raising his own hand in greeting.  Hearing his voice, Cogwalker halted and turned, following Allistor’s gaze. 

“Ah, here be one o’ the druids now.” He waved the diminutive creature over. 

As its head bobbed above the grass in their direction, Harmon whispered, “The druid is a griblin.  A mixed race, half gremlin, half goblin.  Much more intelligent than your average goblin, with a natural gift for tinkering and magic from their gremlin bloodlines.”

“Aye, they be hardworkin’ and handy to have around.” Cogwalker agreed.  “There be more’n a score o’ griblins here on the station.  About half be druids, the rest o’ them workin on the engineering crew.”

When the griblin arrived, it bowed deeply at the waist, its face plunging into the tall grass which tickled one of its ears, causing it to twitch.  When it spoke, its voice was high-pitched, reminding Allistor of old-time cartoon chipmunks.  “Greetings, great Emperor!  I am Gimble, druid of the Stardrifter clan.  It is a pleasure to serve you.”

“Greetings, druid Gimble.  And thank you for your hard work.  This place is… wonderful.” Allistor’s smile was wide and sincere.  He turned his head and motioned toward Nancy, Chloe tagging along as she stepped forward.  “Nancy here is a druid as well.  I’m sure she would love to ask a few questions if you have a moment?”

Gimble the griblin bowed to Nancy and then to Chloe, who was slightly taller than he was, before giving her a friendly wink.  “It would be my pleasure.  And are you a druid as well, small one?”

“I’m bigger than you!” Chloe grumped, causing Nancy to blush, but eliciting only a chuckle from Gimble.  Realizing what she’d done, Chloe lowered her eyes.  “I’m sorry.  That was rude.  I’m Chloe, and yes, I’m a druid just like momma.  I can make stuff grow really fast!  Watch!”  She focused on the grass in front of Gimble’s feet and cast a growth spell.  Allistor heard the girls behind him start to quietly hum at the same time, using their magic to boost Chloe’s spell.

Almost instantly the grass began to sprout upward while transforming into a flowering plant that gave off a pleasantly sweet scent.  Gimble took a step back so as not to be overwhelmed by the quickly growing plant, his eyes shining.  “That is lovely, young Chloe.  What do you call it?”

Chloe bit her lower lip, her look of pride becoming one of uncertainty.  She glanced up at her mother, who just smiled and nodded.  “Umm… I don’t know?  This is a new one.  Sometimes when Addy and Sydney help me with my magic, the plants don’t come out like I want them to.”

Gimble nodded.  “That is to be expected.  Spells like yours are controlled in part by the nature of the plant you select.  In this case, simple grass.  But the spell also incorporates your intent for the target.  Anytime more than one person participates in the spell, unless you have already clearly coordinated your plan, the varying intents of the participants involved combine to create variations on the original.  In this case, a lovely and fragrant mutation of the grass.” He paused, and his face wrinkled as he frowned. His gaze included the two teenagers as well as Chloe. “But you must be extremely careful when you combine your talents, young ones.  The variations of your uncoordinated wills can just as easily create a dangerous, even deadly mutation.”

When he saw Chloe’s lower lip tremble and tears begin to form in her eyes, his face softened.  “Now, we must find a name for this lovely creation of yours.” He looked around at the surrounding field.  “And we must protect it from the herbivores that will soon roam this meadow.  I imagine they would find it most tasty!”  He smiled at the girls as he made a show of waving his tiny hands over the new plant.  The soil beneath it rose up, creating a mound about two feet high.  The griblin reached into a pouch at his side, removing several seeds which he sprinkled onto the mount around the plant.  “What would you like to name it?” he asked as the seeds burrowed into the soil and disappeared. 

Chloe looked at the sisters, who both nodded at her to indicate she should choose the name.  Biting her lower lip once again, her face became a picture of concentration as she watched the druid cast another spell, this time over the seeds.  Within seconds, the seeds sprouted, and thin root tendrils emerged from the soil.  Each rose up until they were slightly taller than Chloe’s new plant, with offshoots branching out to the left and right even as they thickened.  In less than a minute the growths had reached out and entwined together to form a sort of short fence enclosure around the mound.  Allistor saw it was just tall enough to keep hungry cows from reaching the sweet-smelling flowers within.

Chloe’s eyes widened.  “That was neat!  I could use that spell to make more bunny houses!”  She turned her eyes to the griblin.  “Can you teach me that spell?”

“Of course, young Chloe.  But first things first.  The name?”

The little girl’s gaze went from the druid to the mound.  Her eyes lit up, and she beamed at the griblin.  “It’s a Gimbleflower!” She gave a happy little hop and clapped her hands.  The others all smiled as well. 

“I think that’s a wonderful name.” Nancy patted her daughter on the head.

Gimble bowed his head slightly, his wide smile once again revealing very sharp teeth.  “I am honored to have such a lovely creation bear my name.  Thank you.”

Cogwalker cleared his throat, catching Allistor’s eye and nodding his head toward the elevator.  “There be much to see today…”

Allistor looked at Chloe.  “Maybe you and your mom would like to stay here and speak with Gimble for a bit, while the rest of us continue the tour?  You can catch up with us later.”

“Yes!” Chloe impulsively hugged the little druid, who stiffened in surprise for a moment, before chuckling and returning the hug.

“Good enough.  Master Cogwalker, please lead the way.”  Allistor and company turned and followed the dwarf back toward the elevator.  He couldn’t resist staring up through the glass above at the stars as he walked.  The view of the vast expanse outside the dome was amazing and intimidating at the same time, and he quickly developed a slight sense of vertigo as he walked.  Stumbling a bit, he lowered his gaze and focused on the dwarf ahead of him.  Looking to Amanda, who was still holding his hand, he saw her gaze firmly locked on the ground under their feet.  “Not digging the wide open sky?”

“No.” Her response was terse, and he wisely chose not to question her further.  Instead he simply squeezed her hand a bit tighter and led her into the elevator behind their guide. 

Once they were in the lift, Cogwalker offered, “The upper sections o’ the main hub, those above the rings, be mostly operations spaces.  Power generation, engineering, fabrication, storage, and the like.  The outer sections of each level also include housing for the station’s workers, as well as staff amenities like cafeterias, bars, mercantile spaces, exercise facilities, and the like.”

Amanda spoke up first, much relaxed now that they were back in the enclosed elevator.  “Can we see one of the staff sections?  Maybe tour a standard living space?”

“O’ course, milady.”  Cogwalker rattled off a level and section number for Matilda, and the elevator began to move.  In mere seconds it came to a stop and the doors opened.  Cogwalker once again led the group out. 

“This be a mid-level staff section.  The quarters be a mix of sizes, from single occupant to family cabins.” He pointed at doors to his left as they walked down a corridor, indicating the outward side.  “They all have viewports.  Folk like to watch the stars, or the planet below, and the ships comin’ and goin’.”  The dwarf stopped in front of the next door and put his hand on a panel, causing the door to slide open.  He motioned for Amanda to lead the way.

The interior of the cabin was sparsely furnished.  She stepped into a room that was approximately twenty feet wide by twenty deep, with two windows on the far wall.  Just below the windows was a sitting area with a cushioned bench and two matching chairs.  To her left was a dining table and six chairs.  The dwarf peeked his head in, then nodded once.  “This be a family unit.  Based on the size o’ the table, probably three sleepin’ rooms.”

Amanda advanced further into the room, making room for Allistor and the others.  She saw a doorway to the right, and began to explore.  There was a short hall with two bedrooms along the outer wall and a bathroom opposite.  All three rooms were small and functional.  The bedrooms had fold-down beds attached to a side wall, as well as a small desk, chair, and closet.  Each had a single viewport in the outer wall.  A third, larger bedroom with its own bath sat at the end of the hallway.  This one featured a larger free-standing bed in the center of the room, nightstands on either side, two closets, and a larger desk with a comfortable-looking chair. 

“It’s not fancy, but it seems comfortable enough.” Allistor observed. 

Amanda nodded, leading back to the main room so others could follow through.  “With the common areas and amenities close by, they really only have to use this space for sleeping and… homework for the kids.  That kind of thing.” She crossed the main room to the opposite side, and found a small kitchenette setup.  “They can even cook here if they want to.”

“Aye.” Cogwalker nodded.  “Folks livin’ and workin’ on a crowded station need a comfortable space o’ their own to decompress.  Space be a valuable commodity on a station, but we learned long ago that packin’ folk in like sardines causes problems.”  He motioned toward the soft bench under the windows.  “And o’course these just be standard staff quarters.  For those that clean, cook, and keep this place runnin’.  Quarters for merchants, paying guests and VIPs be more spacious and better appointed.”

The tour moved on through the staff area, quickly touching on one of the cafeterias, a small market section with half a dozen shops, even a gym with a small swimming pool.  Cogwalker then led them back to the elevators and down to what he called the main level .

“This be level zero, or the main level.  It aligns with the center level of the outer rings, including the shuttle bay ye landed in.  This be where the main marketplaces, administrative offices, banks, and the best entertainment venues be located.”  He walked them into a gigantic promenade that seemed to go on forever.  There were actually three levels, the upper two having open walkways and balconies above the main floor.

“So… VIPs come into one of the fancy shuttle bays, take the same short ride on the tram that we did, and it funnels them right into all the places they can spend their money.” Meg observed.  “I like it!”

Harmon laughed.  “A woman after my own heart, Lady Meg!  I have already secured a space for my own mercantile…” He paused as he looked around, then pointed.  “Right over there.  Location is everything, after all.  And you might notice that there’s a prime location for a restaurant right next door.  I was hoping you might be interested in opening a business of your own.  And not just because I’d enjoy having access to your delicious food a few steps away!” he chuckled as she rolled her eyes at him.  “I’m betting you could convince Allistor to allow a deep discount on the rent…”

“Ha!  I’ve got enough work already, feeding all the wayward souls Allistor’s been gathering into that tower down there.”  She paused, then looked at Sam, who winked back at her.  “But maybe I could come up here once in a while… you know, on special occasions?  And train a staff to work here full time.”

“Blasted orcanin!” Cogwalker mumbled under his breath, reaching into his pocket and handing something over to Harmon.  When Allistor raised an eyebrow at the dwarf, Cogwalker shook his head.

“Harmon here already had me set up that space with a very specific kitchen layout.  Bet me that Lady Meg here would agree to open up a top tier restaurant.  Said her food will have customers traveling from distant sectors just fer a taste.”

Harmon grinned like a madman, thumping the dwarf on the back. “I even had him expand the footprint, and stocked the freezer and pantry myself.  Both are dimensional storage spaces, by the way.  So you’ll not be running out of supplies on crowded nights.” He licked his lips as he put one hand on his belly.  “Would you like to take a look?”

Meg chuckled at the orcanin, who was twice her size, putting her hands on her hips and looking up at him.  “I’ll not be opening any fancy schmancy black tie restaurant full of snooty customers!  Everyone will be welcome, and prices will be affordable!”

Harmon bowed his head slightly, then waved her toward the restaurant space.  “As you command, Lady Meg.”

They all followed her a few steps down the promenade and into the indicated space.  There was a spacious foyer with a host’s podium and several soft benches just inside the door.  Beyond that was a cavernous wide open space with a horseshoe-shaped bar in the center.  The open area was empty of any furnishings, as were the walls.   Sam whistled as he took it all in, and Meg was unusually silent. 

“Depending on how you set it up, there is space for as many as a hundred tables of varying sizes.  You need only decide how you want it set up, and it shall be done.” Harmon spoke quietly.   Meg stepped toward the bar, spinning around in a full circle as she walked.  Allistor could see her picturing table placements and a room full of customers.  Finally she turned back to Harmon. 

“You could fit our entire diner in here, two or three times.  Show me the kitchen.  It better be huge if you expect me to feed this many people without making them wait all night!”

“For your food, they would wait without complaint.  But I think you’ll find the kitchen to your liking.  I modeled it after your kitchen in the tower.”  Harmon pointed toward the double swinging doors located behind the bar area.  Meg just grunted and stomped her way through.

She got maybe three steps into the kitchen before stopping, forcing Sam to halt right behind her, where he promptly got smacked in the behind by a swinging door.  They both looked around the oversized kitchen with its multiple ovens along one wall, and more than a dozen stovetops with six burners each.  There were fryers and wide griddles, and prep space galore. 

When Meg didn’t speak up right away, Sam turned around and gave a thumbs-up through the window in the swinging door to the crowd still waiting on the other side.  Eventually, Meg turned back as well, speaking absent-mindedly to them, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

“Y’all go on ahead with your tour.  Sam and I are gonna poke around in here for a while.  Maybe make some lunch for when you’re done…” Her voice drifted off as she turned back around and headed toward the walk-in freezer door.  Addy and Sydney volunteered to help, charging into the kitchen and almost smacking Sam with a door again. 

“Oh, you’re in for a treat.” Harmon said to Cogwalker.  “If these girls are helping, the food will have some interesting… enhancements.”

Allistor added, “If you could contact some of your people and get some temporary tables in here, I’m sure Meg will make enough to feed your entire staff.”

“Aye!  I can do that!” the dwarf spoke briefly into his comms, grinning the whole time.  Then he asked “What would ye like to see next?”

“Maybe one of the residential towers on the outer ring?” Amanda asked.  “Or… where would we stay while we’re here?”

“The answer be the same fer both!” the dwarf clapped his hands.  “We configured the tower nearest your landing bay to serve as yer royal residence.  I can take ye there now.”  He turned away from the promenade and headed back toward the exit, and the tram tube beyond.

Amanda began to follow, taking Allistor by the hand and pulling him close.  “An entire tower, just for us?  No way!”

Allistor shrugged.  “They take the whole nobility thing pretty seriously.  Seems like a tremendous waste of space to me, but it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Overhearing, Cogwalker explained as they stepped into the tram car and it began to move.  “Your private tower be smaller than most o’ the others. The top several floors be your actual residence, offices, and other private spaces.  There be room below that for staff, important guests, and such.  And some o’ the space be taken up by emergency systems.  The whole tower be a self-contained safe zone should there be a problem.  Power generation, water and oxygen supply for a month, food storage, armory, and so on.” He paused as the tram stopped and began leading them down the corridor.  “There’s even a system o’ maneuvering thrusters, in case ye need to separate and distance yerself from the station.  And two small weapons batteries fer if ye need to defend against an attack.  Though that be extremely unlikely.”

As he finished speaking, they rounded a final corner just about a hundred steps or so from the landing bay.  There was a short corridor with transparent walls that ended at a huge round door.  “Now that’s an impressive hobbit hole.” Ramon mumbled.

“Looks like the entrance to a bomb shelter or nuclear silo.”  William added.  “You could walk an elephant through there!”

Allistor agreed.  The door was at least sixteen feet in diameter, taking up most of the twenty foot height of the corridor.  And it looked like it weighed several tons.  “Why so big?”

Cogwalker coughed into his fist, looking slightly abashed.  He looked at Harmon, who took over.

“As a head of state, and owner of this station, you may find yourself entertaining a wide variety of species as your guests.  Some are… larger than others.  And a few require enclosed habitats transported atop hoverpads like the ones we rode when we met the queen.  This tower was built to accommodate as many different scenarios as possible.”

“I’m getting an elephant!” William thrust a fist in the air.  “Gonna walk him right through the front door.”

Amanda patted him on the head.  “No elephant for you, young squire.  But there’s lots of room for your dragon to grow, and still fit through the door.” She grinned down at him as his eyes widened. 

“Yessss!” the elephant was immediately forgotten.  “But they’re drakes, not dragons.  Daniel says mine still might get big as a bus!”

Cogwalker cleared his throat, looking questioningly at Allistor.  “The young lad has a pet drake?” Allistor sighed.  It seemed there was no keeping that particular secret, no matter how hard he tried.

“We killed a mama drake who left behind a bunch of eggs.  They’ve just recently hatched, and several of our people have bonded with hatchlings.  William here was one of the first.”  He looked down at his beaming squire.  “But we can discuss all of that later, over a meal.  Let’s get on with the tour, shall we?”

Just as he finished speaking, the massive round entry door in front of them began to roll to one side, revealing yet another griblin stepping through toward them.  This one was wearing a tool belt and vest full of pockets and loops, each one filled with tools and gadgets of various sizes and shapes, clearly marking the griblin as one of the Stardrifter engineers.  The little creature smiled and waved at Cogwalker before noticing the rest of the party.  Upon recognizing Allistor, its eyes widened, and it immediately stopped walking, bowing low at the waist.

“Greetings mighty Emper-”

The griblin engineer never finished the greeting as it exploded in a bright white flash and a pink mist.  The explosion was followed by the sound of screaming metal, screaming people, then the howl of rushing air.   Allistor, having been nearest the blast, was knocked backward even as he was peppered with shrapnel, pieces of bone and metal gadgets from the griblin’s vest lodging in his skin.  Standing right behind him, Harmon was also knocked backward, but his bulk cushioned Allistor’s fall.  Momentarily blinded by the flash, Allistor heard more screaming, and blinked several times, moving his head back and forth as he blinked away spots caused by the flash.  His eyes cleared just in time to see Amanda, who was crouched low and hugging William against her for protection, get pulled by the rush of air escaping through a newly blasted opening in the side of the corridor. He leapt forward, using every bit of strength his improved body possessed as he reached for them.  William screamed as he and Amanda were sucked through the ragged hole in the wall, Allistor’s reaching hand just a foot or so away.  He continued to lunge toward them, but a flash of blue light registered in his still spotty vision right before his hand slammed into something solid, his head impacting it a fraction of a second later.  The sound of rushing air ceased immediately.

An emergency force field had activated, sealing off the breach and preventing him from passing through.  Allistor heard Cogwalker cursing loudly even as he himself screamed at the barrier in front of him. 

“Noooo!”

Without thinking, he focused on the quickly retreating bodies and cast Dimensional Step , instantly finding himself in the vacuum of space.  The cold bit at him, and his vision faded as his eyes began to freeze. Unfortunately, while he had appeared right in front of the spot Amanda and William had occupied when he cast the spell, he hadn’t taken into consideration the fact that the momentum of being pushed out the hole was still moving them away. 

Amanda’s last act as she succumbed to the effects of exposure to space was to shove William away from herself, thrusting the boy back toward Allistor even as it sped up her own momentum in the other direction, sending her body spinning away.  As Allistor’s eyes froze over completely, he felt William’s small body impact his hands.  Latching on even as his fingers froze, he pictured the corridor and cast Dimensional Step again.  An instant later he vaguely felt himself falling, then lost consciousness.