forum Sci-fi Roleplay??

Started March 05, 2018 by Squishy

tune

"Sleep is for the weak," Valentina responded automatically, taking a swig of her vodka, "or rather, the unbelievably drunk." She kicked back, resting her feet on the control panel without a care in the world. "How long, anyway?"

Elizia was already out cold, her data pad lying on the bed next to her with a picture of Brella on it.

Valentina smiled a bit. "For the dreadfully drunk, or for tech freaks, apparently." She sighed, leaning back and preparing for a long journey. Her eyes stayed open and her hands stayed on her vodka, but her mind was in Ame. In Ame, staring into chocolate brown eyes, pretending to be the diplomat. She let herself sink into her reverie.

A gentle alarm rang out across the ship, an Elizia awoke to it instantly. She jumped up and went to the cockpit, checking the display. They were 3 minutes out.

Valentina made a face at the alarm. "What does that mean?" She asked.

"Nothing worrisome. Just the decent alarm. Strap in and all that."

Elizia slipped into the pilot's chair and put the headset over her ears, just as the landing controller asked, "Incoming ship, what is your name and designation?"

"Ame landing control, this is Captain Eliziethara Arazael of the Mechanist workship Loveless, requesting permission to land…"

The conversation carried on for a while, the controller lisitng rules and regulations concerning cargo and passengers.

Valentina obediently strapped her seatbelt on. She took another two swigs of vodka –one to calm her nerves, and another to make her brave. Those chocolate brown eyes flashed through her head again.

"…Of course. My thanks, Ame Control. Loveless out."

Elizia removed her headset and turned to Val, "I told them I had a drunk on-board, from a party off-world. Hope you don't mind much."

"A drunk? I'm offended!" Valentina grinned. "Just kidding. It's one of my better titles."

Elizia gave her a sideways glance, then took the controls and brought the ship down to land. It hit the ground with a soft thud, and the doors hissed open.

Elizia gathered up her jacket and tools and ran outside to meet the inspection team. They flooded in just as Val walked out.

Valentina wandered out of the ship, stretching her legs. The inspection team ran past her, glaring at her. Oh, right, they thought she was a drunk. She smiled at them and kept going, taking a deep breath. It smelled like rain, just like always.

(I don't quite know how you want this place to look, so I'll leave description to you.)

Elizia took a deep breath in. The air tasted of rain and ship fuel. A small courier bot sped along the ground and bumped into her toe, then held up a piece of paper. Her parking paper. She gave the robot a pat, sent it on it's way, and turned to Val, "So this is Ame?"

"This is it." Valentina gazed off across the hanger and out into the city. Towering skyscrapers and domes, sparkling fountains catching the rain, shimmering gray sky. The wealth and industrialism was evident in every crevice of the capital city. The town bustled with affluent citizens and visitors alike, all dressed in sleek rain gear.

Valentina couldn't help but imagine the boy in the purple raincoat who'd lead her through these streets last time she was here. She sighed, beginning to trek towards the main road. "Cmon, let's catch the train."

Elizia stared out into the city and wondered how anything so business-like and modern could be as beautiful as this. Despite the gray, the domes and towers seemed to shine, and the fountains here and there collected the pure rain from the sky. All around her, people in well-made rain gear walked to and from going about their business. Many were also dressed in formal attire, or flashy dresses and suits that seemed to made for no other purpose than as status symbols.

She was so in awe of the busting city she almost forgot to follow Val as she made her way through the crowd. As quickly as she could, Elizia gathered herself and ran after Valentina.

Winding her way through the crowd, Valentina kept her head down. She knew her markings were distinctive to some, especially people coming in from off-planet. She ignored the snooty, dirty looks from those around her.

They reached the train station within a few minutes of walking. It was larger than a usual train station, and the trains were high-tech bullet trains. They hardly made a noise as they zoomed out of side.

A sign flickered above them. "Next train departing in two minutes to Main Street," Val read.

Elizia couldn't get enough of the area.

Everywhere she looked was business, innovation, industry, progress, the same things the Lovuthan Seekers have been missing since their rise. Despite her outfit, which seemed rather blue collar compared to many others, people greeted her with a smile and a kind word. Some tourists even went so far as to address her in Lovuthan, though the language itself was an insult to most Mechanists. She kindly corrected them.

At the train station, Val read out the sign marking the next train. Elizia barely heard her. She was too caught up in her own thoughts to reply.

When Elizia didn't reply right away, Val turned to her and frowned. She looked absolutely enthralled, as Val had expected. Luvotha was a main factor in their trade route. "Don't be fooled," Val grumbled, "this place should be called unchecked capitalism."

Eliza nodded quickly, "Yeah, maybe, but look at all the people! And the progress! This world is what the ancient Lovuthans must have been like! Yet a tour through all the old ruins back home doesn't even come close to this!"

Slowly she realized that Val wasn't quite sharing her enthusiasm. "Is there something amiss, Val?" She asked.

Valentina rolled her eyes. "Gee golly, Elizia!! This place is perfect and everything is a-okay!" Her voice dripped with sarcasm and fake cheeriness. She let her syrupy grin fall away. "Listen, I'll tell you a secret. This city is a shithole. The sooner you realize that, the better." She hated to sound so cruel, but it was better to make sure Elizia was prepared.

Elizia dropped her smile, and let her hand fall to her side, where her gun sat in it's holster. She didn't say another word until the train arrived.

The train zipped up and the doors opened. Citizens piled out of the cars, their voices mingling as they headed outside. Valentina strode towards the first car, where a security guard stood.

"Are either of you from Earth?" He asked in a deadpan tone.

"No. Lovuthan." Elizia answered, "Why?"

The secuity guard smiled, a bit less stiff. "Earthlings aren't allowed to ride in the front cars. We have back cars set apart for them. Separate, but equal."

Valentina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's real fair. I'm Stovian."

He nodded, holding out his data pad. "That'll be twenty credits a piece."