Chapter 24
It's not easy being Green
The Baltic Sector arrived with a variety of inhabited planets. This was one small galaxy with only four planets circling its yellow star. What made this system unusual was all four of the planets were inhabitable and all were filled with sentient life. Scott now knew which two worlds were at each other's throat and he decided to base his efforts on one of the other two neutral worlds.
Unbelievably all the planets, seen from space, were a variety of individual visible colors. As bright colored as Mars is red this one was the color of green and seemed to attract Scott's attention. After getting Sector Control on communication Nard was soon transferred to Gradieur Control. Gradieur freely translated from their language meant "Color of Leaf" and the name was derived by its inhabitants from and a reflection of the color of their world. Yes the leaves were green but the atmosphere and water also had a distinct pale green glow.
Scott's ship was placed in an orbital garage that housed numerous restaurants, gyms and shopping centers for visitors waiting for transportation to the planet below. Individual spaceships were not allowed to breach the atmosphere and for all out world vessels access to the planet surface was totally forbidden. A local shuttle was the only means of transportation allowed to enter the atmosphere or touchdown for any reason.
Scott quickly viewed the available accommodations down on the planet and selected an acceptable hotel in the center of the city location. The reservation was transferred to his bank card for future use. Fortried decided he would explore this huge orbiting complex while Scott headed to the shuttles area for a trip to the surface where he would begin the task that Colby had assigned.
Clearing through the rigid customs check took some time. It seemed their main concern was the absolute lack of tolerance on weapons and munitions of any kind. Scott was surprised at the difference between Jacque's world and this one and he was glad he left his valued hand gun back on board his ship.
The green glow was not apparent as Scott stepped off the shuttle and looked around. The air was somewhat fresh or at least as fresh as any other space port he had visited. The green of the sky became visible and was as green as the earth's sky was blue when Scott finally cleared the overhead turned and looked up. He stood a moment staring up resembling a small town tourist's visit to the streets of a large city and his first viewing of the skyscraping towers and tall buildings. His mouth hanging open a little as he surveyed the panorama that was displayed before him.
As on earth, although it was daytime, the moon, oh make that moons, were visible in the pale green sky. Some puffs of clouds moved lazily across and Scott watched as the prevailing wind slowly changed their shapes and caused a peek-a-boo viewing of those moons as the clouds passed.
Someone clearing their throat brought Scott back to the surface. Looking around he realized he was blocking the exit from the shuttle area and travelers were backing up. Many too polite, weren't born with a throat to clear or didn't want to interfere with his viewing had just waited until he moved.
Remembering something he had read about Twentieth Century Earth's concerns, looking around Scott's thoughts went to the idea that maybe here on this world the use of green energy only and natural resources protection could be a given. He smiled at the green thoughts as he took another quick look at the sky then followed the other travelers down to the ground transportation area.
While waiting for the next available vehicle Scott read the warning sign posted beside the waiting area sign. "Off Worlder’s should minimize outdoor exposure until their systems are acclimatized". Wondering how long that takes, Scott did not notice the watcher although the watcher was clearly visible and made no attempt to hide. Scott climbed in the waiting transport and slid his bank card through the payment slot. The controlling computer beeped as the card conformation was received then a mechanical voice ask for the destination. Scott punched in the hotel name and the vehicle moved forward picking up speed then lifted on its way. The next vehicle in line picked up the watcher then fell in behind as both climbed out and banked toward the visible monoliths that were the towers of the nearby city.
Scott relaxed and peered out the windows at the structures below. He could see the activities on some of the streets as he passed over. From this height the view resembled ants crawling from opening to opening building to building business as usual he presumed.
His transport banked and tilted down heading for the streets below. The hotel destination he had requested came into view and the transport softly grounded with the doors automatically opening once stopped. Scott slid his plastic bank card across the slot again and payment was collected for the transport. Once Scott was clear the doors closed and the vehicle ascended again with a slow spiral as it lifted.
Scott headed into the hotel and did not look back as the following transport touched down. The watcher sat for a moment until Scott had entered the hotel before he departed the small conveyance. Stepping out he held his position on the sidewalk as the transport buttoned up rising in a replay of the previous transport's dance while lifting into the pale green sky.
Scott checked in but didn't head up to his room right away. The noise from the street drew his attention and he returned to the open entrance. Green hail fell and the small marble size pellets bounce in a popcorn style ballet. Rain followed the short hail exhibition and the large moisture filled droplets danced on the now wet streets. The falling drops caused a haze to form just above the surface and that haze was more like a green fog with small gust of wind sweeping it across in front of the hotel. A severe crack caused Scott to jump and look up in time to see some lightning bolts spread their bold streaks across the emerald panorama. Those bolts were almost red in color as they flashed and lit up the surrounding area. The bright bold streaks had an unbelievable number of small fingers of light that wiggled and danced as they moved away from the main arteries. One half of the sky seemed to be filled with the bright fluctuating presentation. Several bolts flashed down toward a nearby building striking some rods that extended up from the corners of its roof. The rods seemed to suck the electric power out of the bolts before they could do any damage. That's when Scott noticed that all the building had these rods sticking up from their roofs as if expecting those bolts to strike them also.
Scott couldn't take his eyes off the exhibition and watched the violent display for several more moments. The lighting bolts cracked and seared the air as they went from roof to roof randomly striking rods in a crescendo that danced to some strange unheard melody. When the display finally ended the silence was almost as distracting as the display had been. If this had been a stage presentation the electrical display would have received a monumental standing ovation. Feeling privileged that he could witness such beauty, Scott loudly applauded for sometime causing others to join in, then he went back inside and took the lift to his room. Amazing, simply amazing and so alien he thought to himself and the smile he wore reflected his pleasure.
Chapter 25
People, Places and Things