Branca

Chapter 4

The Moon colony is a succession of huge domes where everyone lives and works. Each of these domes holds multiple buildings and some only hold greenhouses filled with the vegetables that are used in scientific researches. The Moon colony isn't independent from Earth because it's not possible to produce everything that's necessary for the colonizers to survive whether that is enough food or everyday life objects. Because of that, there are regular shipments from the Earth to the Moon.

"Wow, this is really weird, it's like being inside a bubble."

"But you are inside a bubble, Major André." Says the ambassador's assistant Umberto."

They are leaving the hangar taking a taxi to the hotel where they'll be staying for a day. The hours here are the same as on Earth, in spite of being always daytime. The hotel is one of the best that the Moon has to offer.

"I hear that the colonizers eat what they produce here." Says Gonçalo.

"Nothing is really produced here, only researched." Says Branca. "But there's a small part of what is researched that reaches the markets."

The taxi stops on a grand entrance and the ambassador pays the taxi driver in Moon currency. They enter the hotel noticing the other ambassadors arriving by taxi as well, all of them eyed Le'el with interest but none approached. Le'el is as quiet as ever but the translator cyborg continues to translate everything he hears.

"Let's go put our bags in our rooms and meet down here for lunch." Says the ambassador.

Everyone agrees with him and plan to meet each other at the entrance. They take the elevator to their bedrooms and quickly come back down.

"What's the best restaurant here, Branca?" asks the ambassador.

"I've heard it's the Luna Luminosa but I've never eaten there before."

"Let's go to Luna Luminosa then. I'll go request our cars." The ambassador heads to the reception desk alone.

The assistant is in deep conversation with Le'el about the traditions between Earth and Jupiter.

"We have the Sa'Alas that's the yearly traditional celebration for God and His saints."

"Only one celebration?"

"Well, there are many for the saints but for God there's only one."

"I see. It's very different from Earth. We still have multiple celebrations for God all around the world that happens daily."

"That's because you don't have a planetary ruler. It helps to have celebrations that are the same everywhere. All of the multiple celebrations that existed throughout the planet were eradicated thanks to Kerata, a ruler that focused on imposing planetary rules. It was a long process but the end justified the means."

"I'm not sure that will work in our planet. We have nations that are far from ever accepting a single ruler."

"Like I said, it was a hard process and very long. It took the king a lifetime to achieve its goal. We also had nations that were hard to convince but eventually they changed their minds."

The ambassador comes back and takes them outside to the entrance.

"I've requested a single large van. I find it's much easier that way to stay together."

Branca nods in agreement.

"Branca can we go site seeing after we have lunch?" asks André.

"Site seeing? There nothing to see here, it's the moon. Everything is grey, from the plains to the mountains."