After hurtling through twisted space for long enough, an insistent tone rang out through the corridors of the
Feline Purrsuasion. Some hour and a half after they had first leapt away from the exploding space station of the Xantos system, they were nearing their destination.
Pei awoke from her chair-bound nap with half a donut sitting on her chest, which she quickly stuffed into her mouth before hopping up. "
Hmmggrph!" she attempted to exclaim, then swallowed, then tried again. "
Everyone! Assemble in the cargo bay!" Her voice could be heard over the team's earpieces but then... it could also just be heard bouncing around the metal walls of the ship. Every sound had a habit of echoing, either distinctly or muffled. "
We're about there!"
There was an obvious air of excitement in the group's vertically-challenged captain, who had picked one of the capacitor banks to stand upon to address her motley crew. "
We're coming up on the swankiest joint this side of the galaxy! Er, well, I guess the Blackflame Comet is a bit more exotic, but this place is neat too! Plus, it's where we get paid! I hope..."
She trailed off while looking down at the six technological boxes they'd managed to secure. "
Eheh, it'll be fine! Calli's pretty chill, everything will work out, we'll still make some money."
Of course Heather had to step in and crush that dream, with a gentle reminder. "
With this delivery you will still owe her approximately six point four three Credits. And this is not taking into account repairs from the escape, which I estimate will add two to three Credits to the sum."
The dose of optimism-ruining reality elicited several responses from Pei, who looked angry at first of having her hopes deshed, then miffed that mathematics were being weaponized and deployed against her. And then just dismisive, waving her hand with a superior smile. "
Well then it's a good thing she's fine with us having a tab, huh? Plus, it means we've got a great reason for taking on another job! Win-win!" she blurted out, hopping down onto the floor and giving her new coworkers a thoughtful gaze. "
Ah, I should add... she's a bit, weeeiiird... Just try to be respectful, and don't cause any trouble! She may seem nutty but she runs a tight ship- station, whatever. And her security is top-notch, so please don't try anything here. She will zap you..." She gave Tick a meaningful glance.
On the more helpful side, the attention to their other resident robutt made Heather speak up to chime in. "
Perhaps Miss Calligenia could offer maintenance assistance in regards to repairing the damage done to Four Nine Six Si- to Tick?"
Pei now gave Tick a far more inquisitive, less reproachful look at that idea. "
Oh hey I bet she could, what with all those bots she keeps around, right? She's gotta have a way to manufacture, or at least maintain them!" While she spoke the ship lurched slightly, and through the bubbled windows of the cockpits above, the surrounding environment shifted from scintillating blues and blacks to a more standard black of open space. On the holotable next to the tarp-covered tank, the sight before them shimmered into view.
Not as technical as the layout to the previous space station they'd visited (and subsequently destroyed), this one was simply an image from the
Feline Purrsuasion's sensor modules, transmitted to the projector to give them a view of what they were approaching. And the sight was breathtaking. As opposed to the blistered rock and rusted metal protrusions of Epsilon Gorthrak 7, the station before them had been exquisitely crafted to resemble a grand floating cathedral-city in the skies. Enormous scaffolding systems for repairing and construction capital ships extended like grand halls, complete with turreted towers. They met in the center in what looked like a huge metropolis of tightly-packed buildings, so densely populated with skyscrapers it was as if some great force had picked up the capital of a Core World and simply lifted it into space. There were already ships being repaired and worked on, some coming and going, of all different styles and origins and sizes.
"
Well, we haven't been shot down yet, that's a good sign!" Pei chimed.
"
I have arranged docking permission and initiated landing protocol."
"
Gewd, gewd~"
