Altea was a beautiful sight. A vertical metropolis that stretched to the stratosphere of the planet. Sam observed the view of his suite's veranda, granted to him by the Queen, and watched the hover cars drive by. Invisible shielding alongside environmental controls ensured there was oxygen even at this level. The light of the rising sun bounced off the crystalline structures and the lagoon waters creating a soft glow that was accompanied by a song. Through unknown means, natural or artificial, the crystals could sing when the light of the sun hits the correct spot.
Sam had asked others about the song but they all gave different answers. Kaguya stated that she heard a song of love and healing when the crystals sang. For him, he heard only wind chimes, millions of them working together in perfect harmony. Many before him had speculated it was the placement of the light that made the changes, or the color of the crystal, or the shape. The theories had gone on and on and one with not one being debunked or vindicated beyond the shadow of reasonable doubt.
There was only one source of agreement among all the theories. The songs were beautiful regardless of what anyone heard.
“A dream come true is it not?” Sam turned his head seeing Kaguya walk in with a tray carrying breakfast and tea. “I remember when you were a child. You spoke often of your pulp stories and their fantastical environments. Now here it is a city of crystal that reaches beyond the clouds.”
“That sounds a bit odd. Coming from a fantastical alien faerie princess.”
She giggled. “I suppose that would be true in your case. Even if I can see the beauty in this world I take it for granted. You are almost a newborn seeing the wonder for the first time. It is an enviable perspective to have.”
Kaguya set down the tray on the table. “Any word on Peace's condition?”
“His vitals are stable but still out cold. Outside of that, he's going to need a complete re-fit to his body.”
“A re-fit?”
“They have to replace a lot of his body since they don't have the parts to repair him. On the plus side, I talked to the priests. He's got a clean bill of spiritual health.”
“Praise, Kira. That is at least one less worry on our minds. I will pray that Peace will recover quickly. Now, what is on the agenda for today?”
“Meeting with the Queen later today. So we have time to explore the complex and the city.”
“Fortunate news twice over. Then let us not waste this chance for refreshment. You have few occasions to rest as it is.”
“If only Daimos could take a day or two off.” Those words were partially a joke but there was an honest, if ultimately fruitless, request in the words.
“Is there anything you specifically wanted to see,” Kaguya asked.
“Nothing in particular. Just wanted to take a walk with you. See you relaxed and not covered in coolant.”
“Washing coolant out of my hair is indeed troublesome.”
“Anything you looking forward to?”
“Spending the day with you where we have no need to look over our shoulder. Like our summers back on Earth.”
Sam hummed in agreement as he took another bite of his food. Simple, carefree days of youth crossed his mind. Memories of him and Kaguya spending their time enjoying each other's company. Learning about each other and their worlds. Growing strong unbreakable bonds. How he wished those days could have continued in perpetuity.
Indeed
if the original plan was followed through those days may have
continued unabated. All Sam had to do was to leave the navy and go
marry Kaguya on Aetherium and then begin the work of ruling the lands
of House Bailey. The possible future if that plan was allowed to
follow through was a beautiful daydream. But he will never know if
that future he imagined would have matched up with reality. No one
but God will ever know the truth of it, but a man can always dream.
Once tea and breakfast came to an end, the lovely couple left
for their stroll. Traveling by the elevator from the residential
deck to the recreational deck. Each crystal tower of Altea was a
nearly self-sufficient city block. A consequence of Altea's vertical
construction made space a premium. But if that was a hindrance to the
architects they worked around it beautifully.
The centerpiece of the deck was a large garden park. Covered with plants native to Aetherium and from other worlds grown in special nutrient liquids. It was all organized in various tiers similar to the legendary hanging gardens of Babylon. The ceiling of the deck was transparent allowing those above to have a peek at it while glass windows on the side brought in the light. In the center of this park was something that could be described as a half-fountain and half- swimming hole.
The statue was a female elf surrounded by small winged creatures pouring gourds of water. There were five of them arranged in an overlapping pattern which made the flowing water take the appearance of two large arches close together. The waters of the fountain poured into smaller rings nearby where young children played in them. There were children of many species faerie and elven, human, and children that a mixture of human and feline traits. He recognized them as the aliens he met on Ramia.
Ailurians was the formal name of the species. It was the common translation of their name which was much longer and more complicated in their original tongue. Their name also had religious significance in their culture from a time when they did not worship the Celestial Powers. There was another feline species one closer to a cat than the somewhat human-looking Ailurians known as that Cat Si that existed, but none of their species was in attendance on this world.
The rest of the sightseeing continued to other decks. Sam and Kaguya stopped by for crepes before they left into the open city. All towers were connected by walkways wide enough for millions of people to cross along with various creatures. Humans riding on large wolves, and to Sam's surprise and amazement, dinosaurs. Small circular drones moved in to clean up any droppings by the animals.
The dinosaurs didn't share the reptilian look from popular earth culture. They were covered in feathers with bright patterns. A few other creatures were of alien nature, one of them was some sort of yellow feathered bird that reminded Sam of a video game animal of similar design.
Catching a hovering taxi their exploration continued to the lower levels near the sea top of the lagoon. There was a large open-air marketplace focused on small-scale jewelers and seafood peddlers. Many more alien lifeforms were in the area and they ranged from human but with odd skin coloration to, anthropomorphic animals, and one strange very insectoid-like alien. The insectoid jeweler was friendly and had a unique mix of gemstones embedded into chitin shells for sale.
Sam bought Kaguya a conch shell necklace with several sapphires mixed in.
“Good choice,” said the alien. “I have arranged the sapphires in a pattern that guards the dreams of the wearer from dark spirits. Something I learned from my studies with Priests of Mira.”
That little fact caught Kaguya's attention. “I will use it in good health.”
At
one of the many boardwalks, the two sat on a bench to watch the waves. Kaguya
looked at the shell as the unspoken reason behind the trip now
surfaced. She had suffered the return of her old nightmare where an
orbital strike killed her, Sam, and their children. Experiencing an
orbital bombardment made the nightmare extremely vivid. She awoke in
a cold sweat the night they arrived and had difficulties sleeping.
But the shell appeared to give her confidence to brave the
nightmares if they were to return. She was confident that her own
magics could reinforce the ones embedded within the gemstone
patterns. A beep from Sam's talisman alerted him that their morning
stroll had come to the end.
The Queen had summoned them.
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