Fate of Terra - Rise of Empires

Chapter 8.3 - Rewrite

Watching as the others began to move once more, Dejah glanced back to Tika. The woman had been silent after her outburst, Michael's words seeming to cut deep. Even going so far as to step before the woman, failed to rouse her.

"You saw the station's creation, no?" Dejah asked, her final attempt at pulling the woman from her million star stare.

Jerky movements steadily soothed as Tika refocused upon her. It was like watching someone woken suddenly from deep slumber. The realm of dream still clinging to consciousness, confusing the one until they realized that it was just that, a dream.

"...Uh, yeah." Tika said, stepping after the procession. "When I realized it was a station, I knew I couldn't turn back."

"Turn back? I thought you were certain of your choices."

"I am, but I knew that if I attempted to retreat, I would fail."

"Explain."

Tika half glared at the stiffness in her demeanour. "Gathering such sensitive information, only to reveal oneself in an escape attempt... you draw your own conclusion."

Dejah conceded the point and said no more.

Walking the expanse of the fat disc that comprised the landing platform took longer than expected. Ahead, Dejah saw the same clean walls of the Intrepid. It was to say, they provided no seam, no join. The tiny droids at Michael's disposal ensured no weakness, building the entire station as one singular piece. Its uniform face, its lack of sealant or weld, created greater strength. Or so he had said when she raised the matter.

By the time they caught up to some others, it became clear that the walls were similar only in shape and colour. What at first seemed regular, now appeared gigantic. Yet, the sheer lack of accoutrements, of decor or detail to break the monotony, created the distortion - an illusion. The Intrepid hid its vastness behind its decor. Without that, the station felt larger than it probably was. Maybe.

"I know this place is just finished and all," Tanya's said quietly, conscious that anything spoken would echo. "But couldn't you have put, like, I dunno, something in here?"

"That's what they're here to do," Stacey said to the younger blonde, nodding towards the Japanese duo. "Michael's wanting this place to be more than a trade point."

"They've got their work cut out for them." Dejah murmured, looking over the immense walls of slab grey and black.

"I'd be putting stuff on these walls ASAP." Tanya said, gazing upwards to the ceiling hundreds of feet above. "They're kinda... intimidating, being empty like they are."

Those openly and covertly listening agreed silently, nodding at the wisdom in the younger girls words. While the walls hadn't been designed for anything aside from load bearing, their slab faced outlook and towering heights did make those walking below feel small.

"Any inspiration so far girls?" Sun Mi said, pulling the twins from their roving gazes.

"A few. The first thing we'll need to do is get someone to recreate the flag here." Aki said pointing to the space above the landing platform.

"We'll also need to add some form of inertia dampening device to stop people floating off before they get their..., um...," Rin trailed off, tapping the band on her neck.

"Interface Bands," Michael called over his shoulder, walking the troupe towards a bank of elevators.

"Right, as if that'll stick," Kat teased, nudging her elbow into his ribs.

Tika looked to Dejah for an explanation. Dejah could only shrug. She was still understanding the complexity of Terran humour.

"That's what they are," He protested. Shrugging nonchalantly he added, "If you've got a better idea, go name it."