The request for payment came up on their control units and they approved it right away. After a few more seconds they saw what happened to anyone who didn't or couldn't pay on time. Three soft, black tubes struck out from the ceiling, grabbing hold of non-payers' heads and shoulders before drawing them inside. They moved so fast there was no avoiding them. One non-payer tried to move, to duck, to hide behind someone, but the device sought him out, dipped into the crowd and drew him up folded in half. The fellow was screaming but Stephanie was fairly certain he wasn't being harmed. The aperture adjusted, expanding to his shape and the tube behind shifted and stretched as it appeared to gulp him up. Looking to her right she saw through a window where the guards controlling the devices enthusiastically congratulated each other on a job well done. Stephanie couldn't help smiling, it must have been the best job on the wall.
“Ian Vale Market thanks you. Please enjoy your stay,” said the scratchy recording as the inner doors opened.
To her surprise the crowd thinned out. Everyone had room to stretch once they were inside the courtyard. It was more like walking into a modern village market than anything. There were earthen islands with tall trees growing, some of the shops had separate buildings and she could even see that there were apartment blocks along the sides along with several larger stores. She eyed the Spacerwares Superstore at one end. “I'm glad we didn't take anyone else from the ship, it might have turned into a shopping expedition.”
“There are some people aboard who I'll never take out here. Everything is marked up so high you wonder how they sell anything. Even public transit costs twenty credits per stop.”
“That's not too bad.”
“Not until you consider there are probably about fifteen stops between us and the ship.”
“Okay, that's criminal.”
“It is, but it keeps the crowds on the automated cars down.”
“I could imagine. Where do you think we'll find Frost?”
“You remember the jewellery recovery we did a couple years back?”
“Yup, it was pretty easy, good work.”
“Frost got us that gig, I'm assuming his contact is putting him up,” Jake explained as they walked towards one of the apartment buildings. They were built along the sides with a curve, giving the large oval market platform the look of a giant bowl.
“I thought people didn't live in this section of the city.”
“Most people don't, but this lady runs her business out of her rented space here. She's one of the richest criminals you'll ever meet face to face.”
They came to the large entrance archway and it scanned the pair. “Please declare the occupant you wish to establish communications with,” requested the computer.
“I'm looking for Nanna Gailman. My name is Jacob Valance and I'm here to pick up an associate.”
They waited for several moments then the doors opened. “Please do not attempt to deviate from the designated path.” It said as they entered.
There was no lobby, only a white hallway with gold scroll work all along the middle leading them directly to a lift. They walked inside and came out to what looked like the same thing. Just a plainly decorated hallway with no doors, only the lift doors behind and a corner ahead. “This is the strangest apartment building I've ever seen.”
“Adaptive hallways. The building puts up barriers blocking us from anything but our destination.”
“Ah, so it hides all the doors.”
“It's probably closing off any space we don't need. There could be someone right beside us in this hallway but we'd never know. That is, unless we started tearing up the walls, this kind of guidance system normally isn't very thick.”
They rounded the corner and saw a solitary door further down. It opened as soon as they stepped up to it.
“Captain Valance, so good to see you!” Came the greeting from an ancient looking woman. She stepped up on her toes, giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek. “Who's your lovely friend?”
“I'm Stephanie, his First Officer,” she introduced herself with a smile as the shorter woman gave her a big hug as well.
“Good to meet you. Come on in.”
They walked through a small entry room and into a tidy living space. There was a plush sofa for three, a loveseat and a couple of recliners, one of which looked older than their host. A large window overlooked the entire marketplace and had a door, indicating there was a small balcony.
The atmospheric controls inside the apartment were set to simulate a cool breeze that was faintly scented with the fragrance of fresh green growth. The apartment was made for homely comfort, and as a great contrast to the outside, very little of it was modern.
An old serving android stood beside Frost, where he sat nursing a cup of tea. “Hello Captain.”
“I believe your friend here was growing tired of soap operas, tea and cakes. I cannot say his company has been all together disagreeable, however. He tells the most interesting stories with a little prodding.”
Nanna sat down in the old recliner and took her cup and saucer from the end table. “What can Edward get for you and your First Officer?”
“Nothing for us thank you,” Jake said as he sat down on the sofa. He was careful not to disturb the doilies on the headrest or arm.
Stephanie followed his lead and sat down warily. She felt completely out of place, holding her rifle across her chest and trying not to disturb the neat surroundings.
“I insist. He makes wonderful tea, or lemonade if you'd prefer something cold.”
“I'll have a lemonade then,” Jake said with a smile.
Nanna looked to Stephanie expectantly, and she was about to refuse but thought better of it. “I'll have the same.”
The ancient android walked out of the room, shuffling its silver feet. There were flattened pathways across the dark brown carpet where he travelled in regular patterns to get around the room. Stephanie had only seen that model in pictures, it was grey and silver in colour with a bow tie and the lapels of a tuxedo painted on. It was made to have a human shape, but its rounded construction and reconfigurable face was sculpted to give it a luxurious look. Nanna had not added facial features but left the front of its oval shaped head bare and inexpressive. Stephanie found it a little eerie and couldn't help staring when it came back with two frosty glasses of lemonade on a tray a moment later. After she and Jake had their refreshments in hand it tucked the tray under its arm and moved to stand beside the sofa.
“Now that we're all comfortable, I expect you'd like to discuss reclaiming your crewmate, who seems to suffer from poor judgement where friendships are concerned,” Nanna said before taking a sip of her tea. “It's a good thing he has better taste in employers.”
“According to him I'm the only one who's willing to come get him,” Jake replied with an upraised eyebrow.
“I could've called someone else,” Frost interjected quietly. “Aye, but I knew the road back to the Samson was shortest.”
Nanna turned her head to look at him slowly. Her lips were drawn into a straight line. “We did talk about this, did we not Shamus? You will speak when spoken to and I won't suffer another uninvited word.”
Frost flushed and simply nodded.
“That's a good boy,” she smiled at him and turned her attention back to the Captain. “He's not as polite as I recall, but then we always remember people we choose to like in rosier shades. Don't you find memories become idealized over time Jacob?”