COLONY SHIP 02, UR: LAKESIDE DISTRICT
In Rho’s estimation, the best thing about any vacation was the ability to brag about it afterwards. Which, naturally, was exactly what the red-haired Caseal intended to do. The more fun she had now, the more jealous Akasha would be later. That’s why she didn’t want to waste a single minute of free time. Not even a moment.
“Let’s get a move on, slowpokes!” she called to the rest of the group. “There’s no time to waste—we’ve got
relaxing to do! C’mon already. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Pick up the pace back there!”
She looked like the head of a marching band, her back held straight and steady, knees kicking high in the air. The only thing missing from the picture was a conductor’s baton.
The other seven members of the procession were equally excited to be on vacation. Most of them, however, chose to temper their hopes with a healthy dose of reality. As such, they were much more reserved in expressing their joy. One member in particular, a support partner modeled after a Deuman, took exception to Rho’s unbridled eagerness.
“What’s the big rush?” asked an exasperated Luna. “We’ll get there when we get there. Now calm down before you blow a gasket.”
Rho bonked the little android on the back of her pink-haired head. “Don’t pretend you’re not totally stoked right now. You’re even wearing that custom-made swimsuit you ordered, the one you bought especially for this weekend. The one you spent three hours obsessing about, poring over every little detail.”
“Hey!” Luna protested. “It’s hard finding the right size when you’re this small. And I don’t want to hear that from
you. You don’t even wear clothes!”
Rho struck a pose, her red and black armor gleaming brilliantly in the morning light. “That’s ‘cause I’ve got nothing to hide.
Au naturel, baby!”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Just get your naked butt out of my face already.”
The Caseal wriggled even closer instead. “As soon as you admit you’re excited for this vacation too.”
“Of course I’m excited! We’re all excited, you dummy. I just don’t see the pointed in getting worked up before we even get there.”
“We’re there,” Aki02 said from behind them. She pointed a metal finger straight ahead.
Both Rho and Luna turned to look, their expressions simultaneously morphing from surprise to joy. They’d been so absorbed in their argument, they hadn’t noticed their surroundings at all.
Directly in front of them, less than ten meters away, stood their destination. Most of it was surrounded by a tall wooden fence. The entryway, however, looked open and inviting, with a colorful sign overhead that proclaimed: “El Paraíso Resort – A Little Slice of Paradise!”
The group crossed the parking lot and passed beneath the big colorful sign. Inside, the place was truly a sight to behold. A tropical paradise beyond their wildest dreams. There were palm trees and swimming pools and tiki torches as far as the eye could see. To their right, a white sandy beach hugged the edge of
Ur’s central lake. To their left, a string of single-story condos stood ready to greet them. Straight ahead, a majestic stone fountain sprayed rivulets of water high into the air. Where the water caught the light, it exploded in a veritable prism of colors.
Rho and Luna stopped dead in their tracks, mouths agape in wonder. Their gazes slowly turned from the tropical resort to each other. After a moment of mutual hesitation, they took each other by the hands and started jumping up and down excitedly, whooping and hollering and laughing, the earlier spat long forgotten.
Their vacation had officially begun.
“Quite a place,” Dr. Ken Rauth remarked, standing beside them. “I guess our first priority is checking in, huh?”
“Then we should head left,” said Aki02, inclining her head in that direction.
The group angled left, past the fountain, past a stall serving alcoholic beverages, towards the nearest condo unit. There was a sign above the entrance that read: “Main Office.” All eight people filed inside.
The room was cool, thanks in part to an overworked ceiling fan. Festive decorations like pineapples and colorful masks adorned the furniture. A long concierge desk dominated the far side of the room.
Standing behind the desk, a smiling gray-haired man beckoned them forward. There was a twinkle in his eye, a sparkle in his teeth, and a colorful lei around his neck. “Good morning!” he exclaimed, his voice cheerful and energetic. “My name is Tommie Santura, and it is my pleasure to welcome you fine folks to the El Paraíso Resort—in my humble opinion, the greatest resort in the Oracle fleet. As you probably know, we cater specifically to ARKS and their families. What better way to enjoy some downtime between missions than by spending a relaxing weekend here with us? Whether you’d like to play a game of beach volleyball, hike one of our scenic trails, or just lounge around the pool, we have something for everyone.”
“We even have oil baths available for the CASTs in your party,” he added, glancing at Aki and Rho. When he got a better look at them, his smile grew even wider. “Well isn’t this something! Twin sisters?” he asked.
“That’s right,” Aki replied with a nod.
“Fantastic! One with short hair, one with long hair. I love it!”
There was a youthful exuberance to the man, despite his age, and a natural charisma that most people found disarming. Rho and the others couldn’t help but feel cheered up listening to him, though they were happy enough to begin with.
“Now then, I imagine you all are here to check in. Is that right?”
Dr. Rauth stepped up to the desk and smiled politely. “That’s what we’re here for, Mr. Santura.”
“Please, call me Tommie. Hang on a sec while I call up our records.” He punched a few keys on the console next to him and a small holo display materialized in the air. “Okay, got it. What name is the reservation under?”
“Ken Rauth.”
“Rauth… Rauth… Ah, here we are. Rauth, party of four. Scheduled to check in… today. In that case, I’d say you’re right on time!”
Rho idly rocked back and forth on her heels while Santura spoke to Rauth. She was happy to let the doctor handle all the necessary arrangements. That kind of stuff bored her to death, and she was eager to check out the resort.
Santura covered all the usual topics: room keys, amenities, checkout time, that sort of thing. When he was done, he thanked Rauth and wished them all a wonderful stay. Then his focus shifted to the remaining four people in the office. The other half of Rho’s group, as it were.
“You’re checking in as well?” Santura asked. The smile never left his face.
The closest of the four, a green-haired Newman in a stylish suit and tinted glasses, stepped up to the desk. “You got that right,” he replied, returning the smile with a smirk of his own.
“Name?”
“Ravelios. Delfoy Ravelios.”
Santura repeated the same spiel again, confirming the reservation and explaining the relevant details. Before he could finish, a Newearl with tan skin and striking golden eyes tapped Delfoy on the shoulder. “Make sure we get a room with two beds,” Selena whispered in his ear.
“That’s what we reserved. I’m sure it’s fine,” he whispered back.
“I’m sure it is, too. But I still think you should check.”
Delfoy started to reply, then stopped. He turned back to Santura, giving the man an apologetic smile and a look that implied,
‘Women. Am I right, buddy?’ What he actually said was, “My girlfriend wants to make sure we got two beds. One for the kids, you know?”
Santura double-checked the reservation to be sure, and informed them as such.
“See? No problem, babe,” Delfoy reassured Selena. He turned to the two youngest members of the group and declared, “Hear that, kids? You don’t have to sleep on the floor this weekend!”
The boy and his feathered friend whooped with delight. “Yeah! We get our own bed!” exclaimed Marten, dancing in place. Charmie chirped excitedly.
“Don’t sound
too happy about it,” Selena chided them. “I don’t want people thinking you sleep on the floor at home.”
“Better than being locked in the closet every night,” Marten pouted.
Selena was incredulous. “
What?!” she gasped. “I have never locked you in the closet in my life! Your closet doesn’t even
have a lock!”
The Newearl spun around to face the group, her eyes pleading for understanding. “He’s just joking, obviously. His bed is actually quite lovely. The sheets have little pictures of campships on them. Isn’t that right,
Marten?”
Behind her, the boy and bird were cackling mischievously. It was all fun and games to them. Just a harmless prank. Selena made a face, fighting the urge to say something
motherly. She was determined to enjoy the weekend at any cost—even if it killed her.
Rho, ever the jokester, couldn’t help joining in on the fun. “What’s the matter, Selena? Three months into the job and the boy’s already got you whipped?”
The Newearl didn’t take it very well. Actually, she didn’t take it at all. She ignored Rho completely. Tugging on Delfoy’s sleeve, Selena muttered, “I need some air, I’ll meet you outside,” and hurried out of the office without saying another word.
“Was it something I said?” Rho asked in the ensuing silence.
Delfoy waved away her concern. “Don’t worry about it. She’s, ah, got a lot on her mind right now, that’s all. She’ll be fine.”
That was it. End of discussion. Delfoy didn’t elaborate, and Rho didn’t want to pursue it, so they let the subject drop. The group was about to head outside until Santura cleared his throat. “‘Scuse me, folks, but I was wondering if you’d be interested in entering our free raffle? You could win all kinds of fabulous prizes—a gift basket, new car, or even our grand prize, ten million meseta!”
Rho’s jaw dropped. She looked at Luna. “Did he just say
ten million?”
“You heard right, miss,” Santura answered for her. “Ten million meseta! With that much money, you could be set for life! And it doesn’t cost a thing to enter.”
“That’s… a lot of money. Like, a swimming pool full of meseta. How can you afford to give that much away?”
“With the help of a few generous donations. That, and we’ve been setting aside a portion of our profits for the past cycle. It’s our way of giving back to the ARKS who protect us every day from Darker attacks. And you couldn’t have come at a better time! Actually, this is the final weekend to enter the raffle. Your last chance to win big. What do you say?”
“I say sign me up!” Rho was salivating at the thought of all that meseta. With money like that, she’d never have to work again! She could afford her own private mansion and a staff of live-in manservants to cater to her every whim. Scantily-dressed manservants, perhaps, handing her an endless supply of colorful drinks with little umbrellas in them…
“Can I enter too?” Luna was asking Santura.
The man peered over the edge of the counter and smiled down at the pink-haired support partner. “That depends. Do you have a currently-valid ARKS Card?” he asked.
“You bet your mustache I do!”
“Then yes, little lady, you are most certainly welcome to enter.”
“Alright! Count me in!” Luna pumped her tiny fists in the air. To Aki she said, “Hey, Mom, you should get in on this too.”
“I told you not to call me that,” the Caseal replied, her face scrunched up in annoyance. “It sounds… wrong, somehow. And I haven’t been on a mission for the ARKS since Heaven’s Lance. Not only that, have you considered the odds of winning something like this? I can break it down if you’d like. Multiplying the average number of resort visitors per week by fifty-two weeks in a cycle, factoring in variables such as weather and seasonal shifts, not to mention—”
“Aww, c’mon, don’t be such a
CAST,” Luna groaned, interrupting her. “For once in your life, dare to dream big. Besides, you’re forgetting the most important part: it’s
free! What have you got to lose?”
“A valid point,” Aki admitted.
“Dooo it! Dooo it! Dooo it!” Luna sang.
She sighed in resignation. “Fine.”
* * * * * * * * *
An hour later they were all outside relaxing by the pool. All of them, that is, except for Aki02 and Rho, who had taken up Santura’s suggestion for an oil bath.
The pool itself was magnificent. It was the second largest of four at the resort, and shaped like a Rappy’s bulbous head. The water was clear and pristine. It sparkled like diamonds where the light hit it. Surrounding the pool were an outdoor bar, two rows of lounge chairs and tables, and plenty of umbrellas for shade. A generous sprinkling of tropical plants provided color and atmosphere to the scene.
Marten and Charmie were taking turns leaping into the pool, competing to see who could make the bigger splash. Luna was floating aimlessly on an inner tube, seemingly without a care in the world. Selena was reclining on one of the many lounge chairs, a hefty book in her hands. She was soaking up the sun’s rays in a purple one-piece swimsuit. Delfoy and Rauth were seated at one of the nearby tables beneath the shade of an umbrella. Delfoy was sporting a pair of two-tone green swimming trunks and his trademark glasses. Rauth was also wearing swimming trunks and glasses, but had added a floral-print button-down shirt to complete the ensemble.
Delfoy kept one eye on the kids and the other on Rauth while they talked. “Hey, Doc, what are you building? Don’t tell me you actually brought
work to a weekend getaway.”
The doctor had a squat, cylindrical device laid out on the table in front of him. It was roughly half a meter wide, almost the same height, and had been painted a metallic shade of blue. Whatever it was, it had a pair of shiny stainless steel arms, one on each side of its “body.” Each arm ended in a claw-like pincer. Overall, the thing resembled a legless mechanical crab.
“Oh, this?” Rauth responded. “I wouldn’t call it work, exactly. More like a hobby. I have a habit—some would say a bad habit—of inventing things in my spare time. Gadgets, gizmos, things to help around the lab. This little guy—,” he patted the machine, “—I call the Clo-bot, short for ‘clothing robot.’ It’s designed to pick up discarded clothing and put it away. Keeps the lab tidy and saves me time.”
Delfoy chuckled. “Sounds efficient. Is it, uh… alive?”
“You mean, is it self-aware? No, I wouldn’t go that far. Its programming is fairly basic. It follows a simple set of commands: locate any article of clothing that isn’t being worn, retrieve it, fold it, sort it, and put it in a drawer. If I tweak the settings, it can be made to pick up trash and other stuff lying around.”
“You plan on marketing that thing? It could be worth—” Delfoy paused mid-sentence and jumped to his feet. In a loud voice he shouted, “Hey kids, no running near the pool!” A few seconds later he sat back down and continued, “Sorry about that. As I was saying, it could be worth some serious meseta if done right. You should consider it.”
“Market the Clo-bot? I don’t know, maybe. I hadn’t given it much thought. This one here is the only one I’ve built. It’s basically finished, I just need to work out a few bugs—which I plan on doing this weekend.”
“Bugs?”
“Programming bugs. It still has a few spatial detection problems, and sometimes it stops listening to voice commands. But I’m confident I can smooth everything out, given a little time and effort.”
“Good luck with that, Doc. Maybe I’ll end up buying one someday. I’m probably going to need it now that I have a family to think about.”
“That’s right, you do,” Rauth nodded, as if it just dawned on him. “Speaking of which, how are things going on the home front? You’ve all been through so much.”
The green-haired Newman gazed over at Selena’s reclining form. “I was trapped aboard
Orpheus for a year. One whole cycle. Every day over there was hell. The only thing that got me through it was the thought of seeing her again. Little did I know, she and Marten were stuck on planet Charmusk the whole time—and I have to say, I think they had it easy compared to me. Now that we’re together again, it feels like we were never apart. Like the whole damned thing was some sort of… I don’t know, fever dream. Things are different now, but they’re also the same, if that makes any sense. All I know is, my feelings for her haven’t changed. She’s my whole world. I want to be with her, no matter what it takes.”
Rauth smiled warmly. “Lucky man.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I guess I am.” Delfoy popped a handful of assorted nuts into his mouth and started chewing. “What about you, old timer? Got your eye on some lucky girl? Or guy, if that’s your thing.”
“No, no. I’m married to my work, believe it or not. It’s a decision I made a long time ago. And just how old do you think I am, anyway?”
“I don’t know… sixty?”
The doctor let out a hearty chuckle. “Not even close,” he said.
“Was I too high or too low?”
Rauth smiled knowingly but didn’t answer.
Just then they were interrupted by a loud splash, followed by a shriek. Both men turned to look. Charmie was bobbing up and down in the water next to Luna’s inner tube… which had flipped upside-down. The pink-haired support partner was clutching the side of the tube like a life raft. Her face and hair were completely drenched.
And she was not happy about it. “I told you not to jump so close to me!” Luna cried, shaking her fist at the red-feathered bird.
Marten and Charmie were too busy to apologize. Too busy roaring with laughter, that is. They thought the whole thing was hysterical.
“Hey! Quit laughing at me!” Luna whined.
Which, of course, only made them laugh even harder.
“Grr! You’ll rue the day you crossed the likes of me! Rue the day, I tell you! Sooner or later—but most likely sooner—I will have my revenge! Just you wait and see!”
Luna climbed out of the pool in a huff. Grabbed a clean towel from the pile and draped it over her shoulders. Given her diminutive size, the towel looked more like a bathrobe. She padded over to Delfoy and Rauth’s table, leaving a trail of small wet footprints in her wake.
“Your kids are a menace to society,” she scowled.
Delfoy threw her an innocent look. “
My kids? I think you’ve got your wires crossed. Technically Marten is Selena’s kid, not mine—for now, anyway. And the Charmster, well… I don’t know what to call him. He’s not quite a kid, not quite a pet. He hangs around and keeps Marten happy. That’s all that matters.”
“You know what I meant!”
“They’re boys playing at the pool. Accidents happen. What do you want me to say? I’ll tell ‘em to stop doing cannonballs if it makes you feel better.”
“Hmph,” Luna replied, temporarily appeased. She glanced down and noticed a small black bag stowed under Delfoy’s seat. Pointing to it, she asked, “Hey, what’s in the bag?”
The Newman slid a protective foot in front of it, blocking her view. “Nothing,” he answered quickly. A little
too quickly.
“Nothing? Doesn’t look like nothing to me.”
“Nothing you need to worry about,” he clarified.
“C’mon, I’m curious now. I want to know. Tell me what’s in the bag.”
“I said no! Mind your own business and pester someone else already.”
“Fine, meanie.” Luna stuck her tongue out at Delfoy and reversed course back towards the pool. When she was a safe distance away she muttered quietly, “So, you think you can keep a secret from me, do you? Think you can guard that bag twenty-four hours a day? Think again, buddy. I’m a ninja master, world-class thief, and a tactical genius all rolled into one. You really think you can beat me?”
Her cherry-colored lips parted in a mischievous grin. Her eyes narrowed in cunning. “Challenge: accepted.”
TO BE CONTINUED
Author’s Notes:
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In this case I was trying to keep a consistent musical theme for each of the three scenes. That's why there are two K Project songs in a row, followed by two Death Note songs.
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Let's see how these two get along.
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