Taking my seat Pt. II
11 Apr 2020Maggie Oz
An Orbis Space Station, like Tannhauser Gate, Consists of a central hub with the starship dock at one end and the fusion powerplant at the other. Around this are 2 rings, one 4 km across the other 2 km across.
On Tannhauser Gate the smaller rings are used for commodity and various other storage and maintenance facilities. In other sectors, these smaller rings are structured as low-cost housing, where the half G environment slowly rots the bones of those too poor to afford even basic gravity.
I was well pleased to learn from Roy that such hovels did not exist on in my system.
The large ring is the habitation zone and is moderately populated, some 500,000 souls call it home. The ring's circumference of 12 or so kilometres and a width of 600m means there is a comfortable amount of room for all.
The area immediately around each lift shaft from the dock is densely built with retail and commercial sectors.
Aztlan System is the corporate headquarters of GAIA CORP, the Galaxy's largest Terraforming Contractor and the majority of the 25 million inhabitants of the system work for them or supporting the people who work for them in one way or another.
Most live planetside in hab domes as the terraforming process of Nexus 737 is highly advanced, but not complete, the atmosphere is still a century off being breathable, but it does have a self sustaining ecosystem and its own evolutionary vector.
Upper management of the corporation and their wealthy shareholders and board members live in expensive mansions in the ring of Tannhauser Gate, more to be close to the primary transport node than anything else.
Of course, the most palatial of mansions is Roy's, now mine.
The Imperial Palace of Aztlan takes up every square millimetre that it possibly can.
The palace is situated at the "East" midpoint of the ring. If you were to stand at the centre of the hub and look towards the planet below when lift shaft 1 is aligned with the North Pole of the planet, East is to your immediate right, it stays "East" as the ring rotates.
It is a series of linked lowset buildings surrounded by a high stone wall that provide offices and lodgings for the incumbent Earl of the system, their administrative support staff, an Imperial Naval Office including a Company of Royal Marines and a series of accommodation areas for various transients on Imperial business. It also has the only standing water in the ring, a reasonable size lake that is open to the public.
"Are you ready?" Roy asks with an excited look, as the tube car beings to slow
"Oh, Yes, please! "
"Clear windows" Roy commands the car and my breathtaking view of my new home sweeps into view
"Goodness Roy, it's beautiful"
"Isn't it just?"
The tube car comes to a halt in at the station siding within the walls of the palace compound.
Sir Richard, the ADC, leads by opening the door and standing attentively to one side while we alight.
Waiting to meet us is Holden, the Chief of Staff. A robust woman of 5'0" wearing an on point fashionable business suit
"Good afternoon Lord Batty, "
"Good afternoon Holden, may I present Lady Magdelena"
"Delighted to meet you my Lady" she said offering her hand
"Lovely to meet you too, Holden," I say shaking her hand warmly
"I trust from this point on I will be much more attuned to your plans than I was today" a very tactful admonishment for my unannounced arrival
"To be fair Holden, Lady Magdalena is often not aware of her plans before she carries them out" Roy says jovially which is met with a haughty smile
Sir Richard tries to offload the plant to Holden
"A plant," she says with a withering, yet still respectful gaze
"It's a Ficus," says Sir Richard
"Indeed" replies Holden who promptly turns, avoiding the plant altogether "This way my Lady, I expect you wish to see your chambers" more of a command than a question.
Trailed by the plant carrying ADC we walk a short distance and enter a single story circular building of an architecture that was popular around 100 years ago. Through a small anteroom, the house opens to a large open plan room, essentially a sitting area with a door leading off to a bedroom with ensuite. While not large by ground standards, it is generous for a space station and positively expansive compared to a commercial spacecraft.
"I trust you will be comfortable here M'lady" Holden enquired
"Most definitely, thank you Holden" I replied.
Holden smiled at this and then spoke "DAC please ask Pris to join us" she said, talking to the Domestic Assistance Console, the AI that runs the house.
"Pris has been advised of your request Cheif of Staff Holden" intoned the DAC in an even, artificial, male voice.
Moments later a door opened and a woman of in her 40s walked demurely towards us.
"As I will be taking my Personal Assitant with me to Baal, I took the liberty of obtaining Pris for you. She comes well recommended and you have a month of probation during which you can return her at any time. You'll need to pay her bond at that time too by the way" said Roy.
Slavery is a difficult thing for many not of the Empire to understand. Indenture for the purpose of clearing debt is merely an efficient way to focus on a specific goal and many people willingly enter into it. Although to be fair, many people do not have a lot of other options. There are strict regulations covering the treatment of slaves and for the most part, they are followed. There are still cases of maltreatment, violence, sexual assault and brutality.
"At your service my Lady," she said in a gentle yet proud and educated voice, "I have laid out your personal effects as I thought might be fitting and have arranged your wardrobe with your clothes that were brought from your ship along with some of the official garments that Chief Holden ordered for you"
"Lovely to meet you Pris and thank you for sorting all of my things out." I said, "Perhaps we can have a proper chat once all of the official work is over?"
"Yes M'lady" Pris replied and she turned to leave.
Sir Richard finally found himself in a room in which he was not the junior so immediately took the opportunity to offload the plant, thrusting it at Pris as she walked by
"It's a ... " he started
"A Ficus....," Pris cut him off, " Benjaminia, the Weeping Fig," she said with a wistful look in her eye.
Turning to me she said, " In need of some water and sunlight, I know just the spot" and with that disappeared back the way she had come.
"I shall take my leave my Lady. If I could meet with you at 1600 this afternoon I have a system briefing for you prior to tonight's function," said Holden
"Yes of course," I replied.
"I will return my duties as well M'lady with your permission," said Sir Richard
"Of course and thank you for your help, with the plant"
"Ficus," he said with a grin and I gave him a wink.
"Bring the car at 2130 tonight Rick," said Roy
"Yessir" he replied
I looked quizzically at Roy
"It doesn't do to arrive before everyone's there" he explained
The room now empty I throw myself into the nearest plush armchair
"Fuuuuucccccckkk" I wail, " Is this my life now?"
"No this is the preliminary kerfuffle, once this blows over you just turn up as required, say a word or two and Afia handles the rest"
"When did Holden become Afia, you two aren't a thing are you?"
"Jealous hey?"
"Piss off"
"No we aren't a thing, that would be awkward and improper. Holden will offer you her given name once she thinks she has you tamed" laughs Roy, "but really the only time you need to really do anything is if there is a Federation attack, or the Thargoids "
He might as well have hit me with an iron bar.
I felt the blood drain from my face, I felt my fingers tingle and my vision dimmed
"Oh God Roy they can't come here can they? Tell me they can't, I've seen what they've done, the stations they've destroyed the death, they wipe our engrammic module you know that's what happened to Joe, gone, erased completely and blown to particles he can't be reborn Oh my God Roy!!!!"
I felt myself losing control, becoming hysterical as all the pent up grief of the last few months well up inside me and erupted to the surface.
Roy grabbed me and held me close, fighting me at first but then holding, comforting, lying to me about how everything would ok....