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 nodd
ed. “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 noti
ce 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?”
Shadow Sun Unification: Shadow Sun Book Five Page 14