A Foreigner's Chip

Part IV

Hours passed by until they could barely dance anymore, their energy depleted. One by one they floated upwards to the open ceiling. Dimitri reached the top of the building and stepped out to stand on the rooftop. Vyctor and his partner were embracing as Carter and Renette caught their breaths.

The rooftop was open, a cool breeze helping everyone breathe. To their right stood yet another bar, the wall of nectar tasting liquors standing tall and proud. To Dimitri's left was a short line of people waiting for something.

He slowly made his way to the crowd of people, wondering what was behind everyone, when Wylo took him by the arm and brought him towards the bar and the barkeepers.

"We'll rest and drink in the Orbital Spheres once we get something to drink, Friend."

"Orbital Spheres?" he questioned.

Still a bit out of breath, Wylo explained that they were private spheres where you could sit amongst friends and drink as the sphere completed a trip around The Infinity building.

Wylo brought him to the bar and ordered a drink for himself, the other three talking amongst themselves with their drinks already prepared. Extravagant names were given for each mixed drink, all sounding divine. Dimitri picked a random drink which was purple and green with jello sphered balls on top of it. Wylo received a drink that was fluorescent pink and yellow, decorated with ribbons of fruit.

Wylo and Dimitri joined everyone who had begun waiting in line for the Orbital Spheres.

The spheres looked like giant white eggs with cleared paned glass around its middle. Seats, tables, and couches decorated the inside. The Orbital Spheres were on a circuit that moved slowly around the outside of The Infinity, giving everyone inside the spheres a colorful tour of Luminous City.

An empty Orbital Sphere appeared and slowed enough for all five to hop in and get themselves comfortable.

Wylo, Renette, and Dimitri sat close to each other, a conversation springing up from Renette. Vyctor and Carter following their example fell into a deep conversation.

Renette seemed like the funnest person Dimitri had ever met. Every topic she brought up seemed to be revolving around the word 'fun'. Renette had been programmed to work in The 201. She didn't have a major role in the govermenting system, but she managed to help transfer information from one 201 agent to another. She explained to Dimitri and Wylo that she was on one of the first space stations to go find other civilizations. Her role was to keep an organized set of rules. Sadly, she explained, the station had to return home since there were too many malfunctions with the ship.

As Renette explained her adventures, Dimitri dared to take a look at Luminous City that the Orbital Spheres were giving a tour of. The city was lit up with bold lights that made it look like night time never fell. Buildings disappeared behind thick clouds that had begun to form. Orbital Spheres were glowing different colors according to the number of people in them.

Returning back to the conversation, Dimitri looked at Wylo, then at his partner and Renette's partner. Then he looked at Renette. He smiled to himself as he could really call these people friends.

There was a sudden buzz from his chip. Someone was calling for him. Dimitri moved to the farthest side of the sphere as possible, away from his friends and answered the call. It was Xandra.

"Xandra? Are you alright?"

Xandra's voice came out as a nervous calm.

"Sir, I just received a call."

"A call? At this time?" questioned Dimitri to his secretary.

"Uhh... yes. Yes, Sir. It was from a 201 agent."