by Jac Eddins
"These chairs recline," Dano told her. "The descent is slow and you’re welcome to settle back and nap if you’d like."
"You think I could sleep in the midst of this?" Gina waved her hand toward the surrounding sea.
"Might as well," Dano laughed. "There’s nothing more to see for another hour or so."
* * * *
Gina awoke with a start, surprised to find she had dozed. The voice on the Intercom droned on. Amazing; with all their technical know-how, the voice still had the same metallic, indistinct sound of public address systems all over earth!
…Docking. Please remain in your seats until the airlock is secure and the sea doors are opened. Enjoy your day.
"Have I been asleep long?" she asked Dano. Alaro was no longer beside her.
"About an hour," he smiled. "You look like a little girl when you sleep."
What could she say to that?
"And you snore so softly–"
"I do not!"
"That’s all right. I won’t tell," he laughed, his dark eyes glinting with mirth.
She would have argued, but in glancing about noticed the area outside the sea door blazed with light. In spite of the announcement, the other passengers lined up along the exit and she was unable to see more than that. Around the door a large, sleeve-like apparatus attached to the dome.
Dano stood and reached for her hand. "Come on, sleepyhead. Let me show you the wonders of Dath."
CHAPTER 9
Dano continued to grasp Gina’s hand and tugged her along after him. Gina glanced around the emptied room. "Aren’t we waiting for Alaro?"
"He’ll join us later. He has to deliver the ship’s manifest and clear the paperwork." Dano laughed. "There’s red tape even in Paradise."
Despite the admonition of the announcement they found a solid line of impatient men before them, blocking Gina’s first view of Dath. Moments later the wide transparent door lifted upward and the milling group of seamen scurried out and away in all directions, like ants from an overturned anthill.
Gina stood, slack jawed, in the midst of the entry. In her wildest flight of fancy she had not imagined the scene before her. Dano had explained earlier in their descent that the city lay beneath the sea, but she hadn't come near picturing the reality. Her vision had wavered between something Disneylike and a scene from an early science fiction movie. The sight which met her eyes transcended her wildest dream.
Before them lay a wide open expanse. Some thirty feet ahead, a cluster of long tables and small booths stretched like some large flea market. Hundreds of brightly clad people shopped among them. To either side, on the perimeter, bright colored, lit signs adorned what appeared to be store windows. About forty feet above the windows, wound a tier which seemed to be a street, bordered on its outermost side by doorways and illuminated windows. Above that, more tiers rose up into the dome.
"How big is this place," Gina gasped.
"Dath is the largest of the domes. In Terran measurements it's two and a half miles long, a mile wide and a quarter mile high." Dano grinned at her wide-eyed astonishment. "Those levels above are living spaces, apartments. There are a few of what you’d call ‘convenience stores’ on each level."
"Aren’t they afraid of someone falling off?"
Dano shook his head. "Look closely and you’ll see there’s another inner, transparent dome on this side. It protects the people from ever falling and serves to strengthen the dome itself."
Bright lights, like city street lamps, were spaced along the tiers each hundred feet, but staggered so those of every other level aligned. With all those lights, and the ones on the market level, the place was nearly as bright as daylight, just a bit more reddish. It gave the scene the comforting glow of late afternoon sun.
Dano pointed upward. "Over there to the right, on the next level, is a hotel where most visitors are housed."
"Should I go and check in?"
Dano chuckled. "No. You won’t be staying there. Look–"
Toward the center of the dome, on a wide expanse, a border of hedges surrounded a square of greenery. A pair of towers reached up from the midst of the gardens. Gina didn’t take time to count the stories, but estimated the buildings to be seven or eight floors high.
"That’s the Government center and the Palace."
"Palace?"
"Yes. You’ll be staying there."
Gina shook her head, her eyes wide in wonder. "You said this was the largest? There are more?"
"Oh, yes. Right now we have a complex of thirty-nine. Another should be finished by the end of the year." He frowned a little. "Are you hungry?"
"I’m too excited to be hungry!"
"I can understand that," Dano smiled. "Let me give you a tip, though. If you do get hungry here, while you’re out of the Palace, look for green lights before you order food anywhere."
"Green lights?" She began to feel like some sort of parrot, echoing back a few of his words.
"When you eat at the Palace, they’ll serve you Terran foods. Never order Aquan food. They have three flavors: seaweed, salty fish, and oily salted fish."
Gina smothered her laughter behind her hand. "That bad?"
"That bad! Just remember, the shops with the green lights carry Terran items." With that Dano stepped forward and raised his hand. A small open vehicle rolled out of the crowd and pulled up in front of them. The ‘car’ looked like one of the conveyances in an amusement park, but had seating for only two behind the driver. The Terran driver tipped his cap. "Where to?"
Dano helped Gina climb in. "The Palace. But take it slowly. The scenic route."
"Newcomer?" the driver asked with a wide grin for the lady. "Welcome to Dath."
The little vehicle wove in and out among the shoppers, warning them with a horn that sounded more like a bicycle’s bell. They couldn’t have traveled fast had they wanted, dodging the foot traffic. Gina was in no hurry, agog with the color and activity. They passed a tiny park where a dozen musicians played classical music for those who took a moment to rest on white marble benches.
Many of the Aquans paused to watch them; a few waved greetings. Gina waved back.
"The people seem so friendly," she smiled.
Dano’s expression grew more thoughtful. "Most Aquans are. Unfortunately, not all."
"Problems?"
"I hope not, but who knows? The time is coming when the Terrans of the outer world will learn the Aquans are here. We want that meeting to be peaceful and cooperative. On both sides."
"I don’t see why we can’t all live peacefully. I can’t see you’d pose any problems, living down here."
Dano shook his head and sighed. "I guess you don’t watch much science fiction on tv or in the movies."
"Some."
"What’s the first thing Terran scientists want to do?"
"I’m not sure–"
"Dissect the aliens to see what makes them tick! Examine their technology and adapt it, usually for new weapons."
"Not all."
"Just the ones in power."
"Maybe it’s not that bad."
Dano brushed the comment aside. "And now, here, we have a small group spreading poison. Dath has superior technology, why not enslave or exterminate humanity?"
Gina paled. "I hope you don’t mean that!"
Dano shook his head. "So far there’s just a very small group, but they’re trying desperately to recruit. The best news for Terrans is, it violates the Aquan religion. Aquans hold all life sacred and never to be lightly taken. The only reasons to kill are for food, and to protect one’s life or the lives of loved ones. So far most Aquans aren’t ready to give up that belief. It is appealing, though, to have a race of slaves to do the work."
Gina shuddered.
Dano laughed. "You wouldn’t have to worry. I’d be a good master."
The glint in his dark eyes gave her pause.
"I’m kidding! Alaro would never allow it."
Before she could ask what Alaro had to do with it,
the vehicle stopped at the outer edge of the grassy lawn surrounding the tall buildings. They climbed out. Dano tossed some sort of coin to the driver, then took her hand and led her up a paved walkway. At the foot of the first tower a number of workers halted in their tasks to nod greetings.
"The government tower isn't quite complete," Dano explained.
Gina admired the intricate brickwork on both buildings. At each level a series of bricks protruded to form a pleasing geometric design. One oddity she noted was their lack of windows. She mentioned it and Dano chuckled.
"They’re all closed this time of day," he informed her. "They help block out the noises."
She’d have to take his word for it, although she saw no sign of them. While the noise was somewhat muted, the sounds of many people filled the air, like the murmur of a crowded theater before the play began.
Two Aquan guards stood at either side of the wide double doors leading into the tower. Their dark red garb contrasted with the ivory color of the masonry and the gold overlay of the doors. Gina expected to be stopped, but the guards merely saluted Dano with hands over their breasts and smiled at her in greeting.
Dano led her through a large, empty room. Benches along either side faced a set of three ornate chairs. Before Gina could ask, Dano told her, "The Queen has no appointments today."
"Queen?"
"That’s who usually lives in a palace, isn’t it? You’ll meet her and you’ll like her. Queen Jorlanda."
"But will she like me?" Gina muttered, more to herself.
Dano heard her. "I’m sure she will." He led Gina into a small room. "All the modern conveniences," he grinned. He pushed a button on the wall and a moment later elevator doors opened to admit them.
Gina’s feet sank into the deep pile of the carpeted hall on their floor. An elderly Aquan guard sat at a table outside the elevator. He set aside the book he had been reading and smiled.
"Is the room ready for our guest?" Dano asked him.
"The prince requested she be lodged in the suite next to yours."
"Good. That’ll make it easy for her to reach me if she has any problems or questions."
The guard smiled at Gina. "There’s always a guard on duty here during the day," he told her. "If Dano isn’t around just ask here."
"Thank you."
Dano led her down the corridor and turned left at a crossway. He nodded to the door on the left. "That’s my door." Further along he opened a door to the right. "Your chamber, m’lady," he grinned.
Beside the doorway, on the right, he twisted a small dial and the dim light brightened. "You can adjust this to whatever level is comfortable for you. Aquans prefer slightly dimmer light. There’s a second dial there beside the bed. You can turn it down or off from there when you want to sleep."
Gina gazed about the large room, reminiscent of a fine hotel. A table with a pair of easy chairs sat in one far corner. A burgundy satin spread covered the bed, which could have slept at least three people comfortably. The ivory shade of the walls contrasted with all the furniture of dark wood, and burgundy drapes and upholstery. Still no windows!
Dano chuckled as if he’d read her mind. At the corner behind one of the chairs a small control panel had been set in the wall about shoulder height. Dano twisted one of the dials. The entire wall opened like a huge set of vertical blinds. The openings could vary, in much the same way as blinds, with each slat opening about three inches at maximum.
Gina let out a slight gasp. No glass or wall lay outside the slats. With the blinds fully open it was as if she stood on the building’s edge.
"Don’t worry. The segments are set so there’s no way you could get past them to fall, and one of your topworld elephants couldn’t bend one slat."
With that encouragement, Gina took a breath and concentrated on the fantastic view. She saw and heard the busy hum of life in the dome below and all around them.
"I’d suggest keeping the slats closed during the day. By night it’s much quieter. The blinds dull the noise. We’ve got baffles overhead in the dome to help absorb sound, but it’s one problem we can’t completely solve. We don’t have wind or rain so glass is unnecessary."
Gina nodded, entranced by the color and scope of the scene.
"Do you have an evening gown in your bags?" Dano asked, interrupting her viewing.
"Evening gown? No, I don’t usually have use for them on my trips. Nothing that formal."
"I’ll have a dressmaker come by in an hour or so. You’ll need one tonight when you meet the Queen. Until then you should rest."
"Dressmaker? But, I–"
"No worry. All part of your vacation package in Dath," he laughed.
Dano left her a few minutes later, repeating his advice for her to rest.
Gina lay down across the bed and studied the ceiling.
"What have I got myself into this time?"
CHAPTER 10
A knock on the door awakened her.
Gina opened it to find an older Terran woman her own height, and as many inches around as she was tall. The woman’s short dark hair, laced with silver, curled about her round face like a wreath. Her dark eyes sparkled with the warmth of a Christmas puppy’s.
"I’m here about your gown," the woman said. "Muriela is my name." She reached for Gina’s hand and pumped it vigorously, then moved aside and motioned for a huge dark man to carry in a pair of very large suitcases. He placed them on the bed and turned to Muriela for instruction.
"Thank you, Rono. I’ll be here for some time now. Why don’t you go down to the kitchen and have some coffee and buns while you wait? I’ll call down when I’m ready to leave."
The big man thought it over a moment before he grinned, gave a slight bow and shuffled out of the room. Muriela smiled after him.
"Poor fellow," she said to Gina when he had gone, "There are some things even the Aquans can’t help." She sighed. "He was injured in an accident a few years back. He’s like a huge child now, but he’s alive and improving. He’s a godsend to me, though, carrying things around and helping me. He’s content; he’s useful and earning his way."
While she spoke, Muriela unpacked gowns from one of the cases. "I didn’t know what style to bring so I brought plenty to choose from. Older Aquan women prefer loose gowns, more like caftans. Younger ones like long simple dresses like those Jackie Kennedy wore, but not quite as stiff."
"You know about the Kennedys?"
Muriela appeared surprised. "Why, of course. Oh, that was many years ago, I know, but we do keep up with the outside world. We get all kinds of television with the satellites. I’m always interested in what people wore and when." She frowned. "Speaking as a designer and dressmaker, the First Ladies since Mrs. Kennedy have been just too boring in their tastes." She shook her head and once again eyed Gina from head to toe. Now I see your coloring, I think this might be the best for you…"
The gown she presented shimmered with a bluish tint to the green, a vivid shade which enhanced Gina’s fair skin and picked up the blue of her eyes. Muriela held the soft, satiny gown up before the younger woman.
"It’s lovely!" Gina breathed.
"Well, then, let’s get it fitted."
Gina had never been to a dressmaker. Standing still in her bra and panties while Muriela fitted the garment to her embarrassed her. Her self-consciousness eased with Muriela’s friendly chatter. In no time Gina relaxed and it seemed she had known Muriela most of her life.
"It’s so nice to work with a Terran," Muriela mumbled around a mouth full of pins. She continued on, pinning up the hem to the right length. "Aquan women are so tall, and they just don’t have the same figures. They have a swell in the right place, but they don't have breasts, you know."
"No?" That surprised Gina. "But what about…?"
"Their biology is completely different, even though they resemble us superficially. The swell there is simply for the position of their lungs. It isn’t quite as pronounced in the males."
"Then humans–Terrans–a
nd Aquans–don’t intermix?"
"Only as friends. Otherwise they’re completely incompatible. From what I understand, their evolution followed a very different path. On our world they’d be more closely related to warm blooded dinosaurs than to mammals. I don’t mean to give the wrong impression. They’re very like us in emotions. Not at all the terrifying monsters we usually think of when we say ‘dinosaur’, and that’s really oversimplifying the whole thing. But then, I’m a dressmaker, not a scientist."
"Have you been here long? In Dath?"
"Since I was a small child. I owe so much to the Aquans. If it weren’t for them–" She broke off. "I don’t want to bore you."
"You won’t. I’m interested."
"My father was English. Back in the ‘30s he worked in Indonesia for a trading company. When Japan began its invasions, he recognized the threat and tried to get us away from there. He managed to sell whatever he could and got a small ship. It would normally have carried about two dozen people, but with so many trying to leave… Well, he couldn’t abandon his friends and we wound up with fifty-two adults and fifteen children on board."
Muriela rose and continued to shape the garment to Gina while she went on. "Just our luck, the second day out we were spotted by a pair of Japanese fighter planes. Each made a strafing run. They killed six adults and one child. Many more were wounded. The bullets destroyed the ship’s engine and riddled her hull. We were lucky we didn’t have an explosion.
"Maybe they knew a storm was coming and didn’t want to waste time there finishing us off. They knew we’d be helpless, and flew on, leaving us to die. The men who weren’t injured managed to stop most of the leaks and the pumps worked well enough to keep us afloat. Or would until our fuel ran out. Then the storm hit. It was the closest you could get to a living hell.
"My father had been hit in the legs and my mother in the shoulder. We had no doctor and no medicine aboard. The storm tossed so badly almost everyone was too sick to move. We lost four more people. I don’t know how long it lasted or how far it sent us off course. All I remember is sitting in a dark corner, crying.