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There is a space station hanging in orbit around a desert planet. It's not very impressive, as space stations go- a number of domes haphazardly linked by transport tubes, placed seemingly wherever they'll fit. A vaguely spheroid tangle of architecture with no consistent direction of artificial gravity. The only feature that can be differentiated from the rest of it is its docking bay- a large platform with an old-fashioned atmosphere field stretched around it. The technology on display looks to be nearly a hundred years old, on average. It is not a place that looks to be on the cutting edge.
It is broadcasting some information about itself. Some rudimentary field specs for its atmosphere, docking instructions, a map of its facilities, language and communications information. Massively outweighing the useful data is a bulk of advertisements- hundreds of presentations in various media types exhorting visitors to drop by some shop or another. Most prominently, an ad for Auntie Matter's is listed on the facilities map- their exclusive fuel provider, it seems. Ferengi supplier, decent quality at an affordable price, probably enabled by some highly shady business practices. It'll be good enough, likely.
penitencelost
penitencelost
"Sorry- the true Earth, not the old Earth. The planet that we... uh, what's... that we 'orbit'."
penitencelost
"Afflicted by longing. Our grannies came here to escape longing for more and more material things, but longing followed us across the stars... they don't care for the commandments to stay safe from..."
He gestures at the stars, visible through the dome.
He gestures at the stars, visible through the dome.
warpfairy
"...You know, if the right Federation charitable organizations were notified an entire shuttle could probably make its way out here to take people who want to go."
penitencelost
"That's..."
Jenny said something about this, before. Something about statue violations, and Ferengi contracts, and disciplinary... space... stuff. He didn't catch a lot of it.
"I think they tried that? And it didn't work? Or maybe they didn't try because... I don't recall, exactly. Something to do with those aliens with the big ears..."
Jenny said something about this, before. Something about statue violations, and Ferengi contracts, and disciplinary... space... stuff. He didn't catch a lot of it.
"I think they tried that? And it didn't work? Or maybe they didn't try because... I don't recall, exactly. Something to do with those aliens with the big ears..."
warpfairy
"The Ferengi got in the way? Are they going to give me trouble if I try to take passengers?"
penitencelost
"Not you, no- they don't have enough of a presence here to police all the, um, traffic, individual visitors, but... they fund this place, and they have... some kind of problem with the Federation? I'm not sure."
warpfairy
"The Federation and Ferenginar are not at war, but things have never been - ideal, between them. But I'm a Federation citizen and I freelance for them, even if I'm not here under the aegis of Starfleet."
penitencelost
"I... wouldn't worry."
(This is a lie, he would worry, but that is more a function of his own general worriedness. She needn't worry.)
"Did you- were you going to pick a store, or take a chance with the market?"
(This is a lie, he would worry, but that is more a function of his own general worriedness. She needn't worry.)
"Did you- were you going to pick a store, or take a chance with the market?"
penitencelost
There seem to be two sorts of storefronts, in about equal number.
The first are brushed-chrome and steel rooms that are clearly trying to look "futuristic" (according to some wildly outdated ideas of "futuristic"). They offer familiar-looking fare at inflated prices.
The second sort are warmly-lit wooden buildings that offer authentic planetary cuisine. The latter tend to be draped in fabric all over- every surface seems to have some decorative cloth attached. Prices appear generally reasonable, and the food smells good, but none of what's visible is recognizable.
The first are brushed-chrome and steel rooms that are clearly trying to look "futuristic" (according to some wildly outdated ideas of "futuristic"). They offer familiar-looking fare at inflated prices.
The second sort are warmly-lit wooden buildings that offer authentic planetary cuisine. The latter tend to be draped in fabric all over- every surface seems to have some decorative cloth attached. Prices appear generally reasonable, and the food smells good, but none of what's visible is recognizable.
penitencelost
"Vulcans? I don't-"
What are Vulcans, again? They're the... Ramón finally notices her ears. His eyes widen and he takes a step back. He's been talking to an alien like a person?
"Oh! I- uh, I'm sorry- uh..." The question, it asked... "I don't- okay, yes, Vulcans... I don't think there's information, like that, but we've had them visit before- there were never any complaints about the food, but I don't know if that's... because it's fine, or if they all just bought... space food. I think... they regulate it, they probably wouldn't be able to sell it without warnings, if that were... a problem."
It acts like a person, it doesn't- she doesn't seem like an alien, except... his eyes are glued to her ears.
What are Vulcans, again? They're the... Ramón finally notices her ears. His eyes widen and he takes a step back. He's been talking to an alien like a person?
"Oh! I- uh, I'm sorry- uh..." The question, it asked... "I don't- okay, yes, Vulcans... I don't think there's information, like that, but we've had them visit before- there were never any complaints about the food, but I don't know if that's... because it's fine, or if they all just bought... space food. I think... they regulate it, they probably wouldn't be able to sell it without warnings, if that were... a problem."
It acts like a person, it doesn't- she doesn't seem like an alien, except... his eyes are glued to her ears.
warpfairy
She blinks at him.
"I'm half-human," she says, in case that will help. "And can usually eat human-suitable food without a problem, but would prefer to be warned."
"I'm half-human," she says, in case that will help. "And can usually eat human-suitable food without a problem, but would prefer to be warned."
penitencelost
Half- what? That's a thing? He- doesn't know what to make of that.
"That's... okay. I think... it should be fine, I can't... tell you specifically, it's never come up- but, you know, that it's never come up, that says something... I mean, if there'd been a problem, I'd have heard about it, probably."
"That's... okay. I think... it should be fine, I can't... tell you specifically, it's never come up- but, you know, that it's never come up, that says something... I mean, if there'd been a problem, I'd have heard about it, probably."
warpfairy
"And you have had Vulcans here before - mm, probably best off not buying exclusively local products, just in case."
penitencelost
The stores between them and the shortest path to the fuel depot look noticeably cheaper and less well-maintained than the stores lining the longer path. It seems the tradeoff is between quality and being-yelled-at-by-pushy-strangers-for-
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