GATE: Thus They Came From the Stars(discontinued )

Chapter 12

The group was now off the ship and were standing among other folk as they waited for the tram to arrive and take them to the inner surface of the ring world, where they would then ride the space elevator to take them to New York City, where the headquarters of the UNEG was built upon the old UN headquarters centuries ago.

Around them, they were surrounded by people crowded or walking by them, ships passing by inside the ring, business centers, shops, restaurants, and etc. The sound of something moving fast caught their attention as the tram arrived and came to a stop before them, automatically opening it's doors and playing an automated recording as people began to leave through the other side. "Now arrived at station eleven. Please mind your step and stand clear of the automatic doors. Thank you."

The doors on their side opened and allowed for them and everyone else around them to enter into the tram cars. "So where will this thing take us?" Rory asked as the doors closed and the tram began moving down the magnetic railings past the speed of sound.

"This tram will take us to New York Alpha City, which is the city that has the elevator to take us to New York City on Earth. That's where the UNEQ headquarters is and where the supreme president will meet with Piña and Bozes tomorrow." Itami said as Rory nodded.

"This leader of yours, what he like? He must have a huge influence to control so many worlds under his thumb."

"I never met him in person. The only president I met was the president of Ginza II during my ceremony in receiving the medal of valor. Other than that I don't know what to expect for Piña. Besides, every decade we hold an election to either keep our current leader or switch him/her with another candidate. Prevents any possible case of corruption or tyranny in our system. However there is the case of emergency term extension, which is when our leader is able to rule longer than he normally should during a time of crisis or war." Itami explained as Rory nodded.

"But if one were to be able to remain in power so long as a war progresses, wouldn't said leader want to then keep the war going?" She had a point as Itami nodded with Tuke and Lelei now listening in. "You have a point about that. We have a policy that if any proof is found of the supreme president scheming to keep the war effort to last, he is automatically removed from office, and is replaced by the next viable candidate able to lead office. In fact, I think our last president was just replaced with the closing of the war with the Aakuds."

The dark tunnel surrounding the tram began to light up as it exited the interior of the ring and emerged into the inner layer, surrounded by green from grasslands and grey from cities constructed along the man made landscape.

In front, was the city of New York Alpha, with a space elevator in the center leading to the city of New York.

The girls all leaned out to get a good view of above them as they saw the massive planet above, covered in grass lands, cities, mountains, deserts, oceans, rivers, and bridges extending along the surface and across the ocean bodies.

"It's beautiful." Tuka said as she looked up in wonder. "So this is it. The home world of these people from the stars." Piña said as she looked up at the planet, wondering what kind of wonders she would see today...

...After stepping on the large platform with other folk, alarms began to blare out as the main gates closed, signaling the elevator was about to depart. The magnetic rails holding the platform activated and it shot up like bullet.

Half way through the trip, the elevator entered into the vacuum between the two atmospheres and the platform did a complete one eighty degree rotation, aligning itself with Earth's surface before reentering the atmosphere.

Below them, the tall towering structures of New York were becoming more clear as well as the large network of roads that stretched out across the city between each building. Much like the surface of Ginza II, but with more developed infrastructure than the colonized moon. The elevator came to a rapid stop as it approached the surface, lowering itself with the station below and securing to the latches. After a verified all clear, the gates opened and allowed everyone on board to exit and walk out in the city.