Project Twilight 003

Chapter 1 continued

The way that a second ago was just a straight line now had turned into a fork without Xalia noticing. She was quite impressed usually these kind of tricks used some kind of dramatic effect to highlight the shift, making it seem like part of the show, here the system was finely tuned to wait for moment when attention was directed elsewhere to make things just be there. Quopka was now standing in a tunnel that was green hued on his side but an unpleasant yellow on hers. To her left hand a new tunnel glowing in a faint inviting amber had opened, it smelled of freshly polished stone,very clean and somehow of adventure. 'Active mind component,' Xalia thought, 'Expensive.'. The smell became more soothing, a faint whiff of the ocean added to it. 'Reactive even.'
   
    "See you in minute." she said to Quopka who had gone back to looking mildly disgusted and generally miserable.
   
    "Yes. But please don't buy anything else..."
   
    "I already indulged myself." Xalia said waving her coat dramatically, her smile shattered on Quopka's distaste for  place, the situation and as Xalia began to suspect life in general. She shrugged and entered the amber corridor.

    "Chrysalis corporation welcomes you to Sralan traveller." the voice spoke with sugared enthusiasm as the path around her turned into a wide open vista of a beach. Instead of sand there where millions of tiny opal disks shimmering in all colours of the universe, the malachite green water expanding into the wide horizon where it met the cobalt blue of the Sralan sky.
    "This is a world of water and precious stone, with a rich tradition going back millennia." the sight changed as she walked showing of the with every step the different cultures and architectures of the world. "A world to relax, to explore and to find all kinds of adventure." the scenery changed with every step, every word showing some new wonder that was expecting Xalia. While she enjoyed the show she was getting annoyed how the system was gently adjusting everything she was seeing to what she had reacted to the fraction a second before. When they reached the 'adventure' part she saw a lot of exiting looking but well coordinated tours through 'jungles', 'ruins' and 'hidden spots', she rolled her eyes at that point only to be show brief glimpses of a more intimate type of adventure. She smiled and cursed her self the moment she noticed.     "Chrysalis corporation has a wide portfolio of Prime ranked worlds," a dizzying flash of impressions of other places, "where we carefully curate and preserve the local flair to provide the most authentic holidays possible." It refocused on Sralan, now she was walking through the air so she could see the many places where she could stay in Sralan. "You will find your personal form of comfort allowing you to experience a wide array of different cultures on your terms." It present her a large open space room, of panelled wood, comfortable chairs, books shelves and alcoves facing a large open wall, with a translucent energy window that let the ocean air flow in. Xalia was very tempted to book the place that very moment. But she was here on business, her pride was stronger than her impassivity, for once working for instead of against her. "Chrysalis also offers a wide range of congress centres, workshop retreats and company camp outs.", the voice went on not missing a beat. "From high focus environments to, places that push your creative side as far as your imagination can carry you," and then with a wink in its voice it added, "and push you that little bit further. Chrysalis brings you everything you need, where you needed and how you need it." she was back on the beach walking down a path that led her to a amber coloured tunnel that somehow seemed like it was the most natural thing to find in the middle of a beach on an alien planet. "Right now we are taking your personal needs to heart and out of the millions of possibilities, preparing four exiting packages that are perfectly tailored to your needs. Once you step out one of our local amenity experts will welcome you personally to introduce you to your choices."
   
    A moment of brightness and she was standing in a hall, Quopka and his foul mood standing like an inverted light house at one end, while a fantastically pretty woman was flowing towards her a shining smile igniting as she saw Xalia. Xalia's breath caught, her heart skipped a beat. She had to give the Chrysalis corporation that they had recognized her... sense of adventure. She returned the smile with sad eyes.
   
    "I'm very sorry." she said to the radiant apparition in front of her.
   
    "Oh there is nothing to be sorry about.", she answered in a voice that told her that she was going to try a lot of things to see how far that would go.
   
    Xalia inhaled, with her Authority she grabbed the presence, of the woman in front of her pulled out her former glory, the result was spectacular, even Quopka's eyes widened in amazement, when he beheld her. Xalia exhaled letting it all flow to the past. Now the woman in front of her was only the glowing ember, remembering how it once had been a fire, shortly before turning to ash.
    This touched Xalia on a much deeper level, there was something in this kind of beauty she could not help but love. But this was the steady love of a grandparent and not the tempestuous infatuation Xalia had felt a second ago. Besides this was now within her Authority, this was a place completely under her control.
    The woman in front of her she a single tear.

    "What's your name." Xalia asked.
   
    "Mynri." she answered.
   
    "Your real name." Xalia said her voice now soft.
   
    "Ptala" Ptala said.
   
    "A beautiful name." Xalia said gently touching her cheek. "Don't worry, the effect won't last long and please don't be sad, look at the greatness that brought you where you are, remember who and what you where so that you could become who you are now. These past glories are what your present strength is build upon."
   
    Ptala didn't say anything, she moved her hand up to the cheek Xalia had just touched, turned around walked to a window overlooking the Sralan sea and was lost in her past.

Project Twilight 002

Chapter 1 continued


Not long after Xalia and Quopka had left the pod and entered the ground port.
  
    "Don't worry about your luggage my people will get them for you and bring it to your residence."
  
    "Residence?" Xalia asked.
  
    "Yes we got you a small house near the coast. There you can start with your work."
  
    "That's different..."
  
    "How so?" Quopka asked.
  
    "Usually I get to stay in a hotel or as more or less honoured guest at the house of someone important.", aster a short pause she added, "There usually is more of social song and dance involved."
  
    "Literally or figuratively?"
  
    "Usually figuratively, sometimes also literally and one time in Cresilea Secunda it was song and dance most of the time." she shook her head laughing softly at the memory. Her authority expanding lightly in reaction to it. Xalia stopped. "That's strange..."
  
    "Huh?" Quopka stopped, looked at her then around. "What is?"
  
    "Can't quite put my finger on it." she shrugged an continued walking.
  
    "Is it anything I have to be worried about?"
  
    "Nah." Xalia waved his worries away with her hand, "If I notice anything dangerous or disturbing I'll tell you. This is... just odd...?"
  
    They walked on in silence until they reached immigration. Her all paths were carefully wound their way to inconspicuous choke points where all visitors had to walk past a crystal arch through a short tunnel where their crystal ID was checked, their passing logged and of if they were carrying anything that might be something that had to go through customs. Quopka pulled a short round shard of green stone out of some inner pocket, once he passed the arch it started to glow in a pleasant verdant colour.
    "Just stay within the light and we can just walk through."  he said.
  
    "Neat." said Xalia walking a bit closer to him, not wanting to risk the wrath of a immigration cavern. Once the security in these things got triggered they turned from a short walk along a straight line into a labyrinth. Every time she fell afoul of them she swore to herself that she'd never leave her home world ever again. But well her she was, as always.
    While she was still trying to push away the last time, where she had descended ever deeper into one of the more paranoid defence systems, she noticed that the light of Quopka's shard began to shift into an unpleasant yellow hue.
  
    Xalia sighed, took a deep breath, trying not to panic. "What's happening Quopka?"
  
    Quopka stared at the shard with something very close to hatred. "How dare they..." he looked up, the knuckles on the hand holding the shard turning white. "I am Quopka, third child of Lhrà of Zyandal, primary voice of the parliament of high ocean endeavours. This," he held up the crystal as he spoke, "is an inviolate seal of office. Suppressing it is a cardinal offence." As he spoke the shard's light began shifting back to green.

    "Acknowledged." a bland friendly voice coming from everywhere answered, "You, most honoured, first high voice of the exterior, Quopka may pass. However your esteemed guest has to pass through the welcoming path."
  
    "No. She must not." he said almost snarling. "She is here by my invitation, the mantel of my office covers her."
  
    "Acknowledged, most honoured, first high voice of the exterior, however this is a private port, by the charter of the greater collaboration, we have the obligation of passing every new visitor, provided he is not a native of the region or a representative of the voices of government, through the welcoming path. The path will introduce her to the wonders of Sralan, preparing her for her visit."
  
    "I have and will continue briefing our guest on our local culture and customs. There is no need for her to walk down your way..." he said, his body tense. Xalia was sure that if the voice had any material representation she might have had to stop Quopka from stabbing it with the shard.
  
    "You are of course free to return back to the high ocean port, free of charge and secure passage on a ship to a port that is not owned by the Sralan chrysalis corporation, there other rules of ingress may apply." while the voice remained as blandly polite as before Xalia was sure that she could her a certain smug condescension in the words.

    "What is this 'welcoming path' anyway"? Xalia asked.
  
    "The welcoming path is..." the bland voice started with a pudding like enthusiasm before being cut short by Quopka.
  
    "It is commercials for the chrysalis." Quopka said.
  
    "Ah, I understand..." said Xalia who didn't understand, fearing that her asking would lead to more things she didn't know about.  "It's no problem, I can just go through the path, look at what it has to say, and then we meet on the other side and go on with business."
  
    Quopka just stared at her fuming.
  
    "Or," Xalia had to be very careful to not make matters worse, "We can go back to the high port" she kept her voice level making sure that it sounded like this was just another perfectly reasonable option, "and look for a sphere cruiser and from there we can go to another port." she smiled her professional smile, the one she had practised for many decades for situations just like this, warm, friendly understanding, open, and nothing else, the last part was the hardest and most vital part.

    "This is an outrage! I will not let this stand." Quopka was lost in his rage.
  
    "I know. I myself am shocked by our treatment." a lot of work went into not sounding sarcastic, which was made easier by Xalia wondering who this Sralan chrysalis corporation was that it could limit the privileges of a high ranking official of the planetary government. "I hate how you are being treated," she meant that, "this should not be happening, but this helps me understand what you are going through. Let me walk the path. I promise you that I will not suddenly change my mind and... I don't know decide to go for a package holiday instead."
  
    Quopka finally turned to face Xalia. He looked at her, then at her new coat and then again at her face raising his eyebrows.
  
    "The coat is different." Xalia said, "That's because of the weather!", after a short pause she added, "And it is really stylish." she bared her teeth in a regrettable attempt at a smile. Quopka stared at her and started laughing. Xalia's smile turned real.
  
    "Well even if you decide for that package deal, I know where to find you." he said. "I'm paying your expenses after all."
  
    "You heard him." Xalia said to the voice. "Show me that path of yours."
  
    "Thank you, Xalia Ranva, authority of glories past. The interaction and your decisions have been duly noted. Please proceed through the welcoming path and enjoy your stay on Sralan."