Passports and visas might be a pain for the State Department but the Consortium shared no such concerns. At the mid hall entrance, the kids had to hold one hand up and state their names. There was a slight flash of light traveling up and down their body and a voice announced "bio-ident complete." Jack and Zeta, who were already in the system, simply walked through.
The Natives were lined up and being treated to the same cursory treatment. Jack knew the apparent lack of security was because it was largely invisible. Scanners would signal security if any of the newcomers carried an explosive, and those scanners were sensitive enough to spot a bullet inside a gun. Once they had biological identification on an individual, the security grid could track him or her anywhere.
Those same scanners could identify any number of banned substances or items. They could even probe for microbes and viruses. If an infectious disease was detected healers would stop the individual and treat it before they would be allowed to continue on.
The cable elevator was, like the building that housed it, round. Doors appeared at intervals. Inside the floor was recessed so you entered and took two steps down. The curved halls between the doors were lined on both sides with deep couches with windows along the outside.
Jack found a seat facing outward, to appease James's need to watch everything. Jack sat with him on one side, Mackenzie sat next to her brother and Zeta flanked them on the other side. The elevator was rapidly filling with people, far more than Jack would have thought. Then again he didn't know the native tribes were arriving today as well.
Their stewardess came on the overhead and explained to them that the elevator was two stories. The station itself had three levels. Underneath the ground floor waiting room was a small warehouse of sorts, and the bottom of the elevator was barren space. It was a ten meter wide and could haul around 600 meters of cargo. In the grand scheme of things, that wasn't a huge amount. The elevator took just under an hour to make the climb or descent. It went up and down on alternating hours, which meant twelve trips a day. Over time it would fuel a steady stream of trade into and out of space.
The bottom most floor of the ground station was the energy grid. The energy was the primary import of the station. It was expected to be hooked up to Denver's power grid within the week.
Before long the elevator was full and they were rising. There was a slight tug as they shot free of the station but once they were underway the ride was smooth, the acceleration designed to keep them at a steady 1g.
As excited as James was, almost as soon the earth had dropped out of sight of the windows, he was out, asleep with his head on Jack's side. Jack couldn't blame him, it had been a long day. They had left Norfolk at five in the morning. With security checks, time zone changes and drive times, it was now closer to five in the evening and the sun was starting to set.
The station had thirty four total levels but only a dozen stops for the elevator. Of those, three were currently operating. The bottom stop was dark and empty, the doors didn't open and the stewardess announced it led to the bottom court, where the cable had been housed for the trip. Over the next few weeks it would be scrubbed, cleaned and turned into the largest public space on the ship, flanked by giant windows with spectacular views of the Earth below. Perhaps many of the people on this trip would find temporary work there while they figured out how to support themselves in the Consortium.
Soon they were rising again through the dark station. The second stop was 14 below and the main stop for the newly arrived citizens. "Tonight is the big christening feast," the stewardess reminded them as they disembarked. "While only a small number of dignitaries can fit in the banquet hall, there are feasting stations throughout the station with free food, entertainment and mementos of the feast."
Jack nudged James awake as they lifted to the highest spot the elevator would go to, 16 above. 17 above, the top of the station, was mostly taken up with a space port.
Once they exited the elevator, James found a new reason to leap fully to waking. "Mom!" he screamed as he tore across the wide, round lobby.
Cheyenne was wearing a long blue shirt that came to her knees, in brilliant blue batik with a silver edge work. She had matching pants underneath and slippers on her feet. Her face was still partly covered in black, but there was increasingly more flesh than patches. Her lips were full and portions of her nose peeked out pink and whole. Her eyes were bright, staring out of round portholes in the medical device that kept them safe while the skin around them continued to heal.
She held her arms out to accept him as he rushed her. Moments later Mackenzie was there as well. The force of the two of them rocked Cheyenne back so that Lana and Janda, on either side, had to steady her so she didn't fall.
Jack and Zeta stood back, watching the display. After some time they broke their hug. James was rambling. "We went on a plane, and then there was this car and the elevator, oh my god, we just shot up like," he made a gesture showing how they shot up. "And there is a alien, her name is Zeta and, and" he was panting, he'd ran out breath talking so fast. "And there you were."
"I've brought you each a gift," Cheyenne said. She had a small toy spaceship for James. His eyes went wide and he hooted for joy as he took it.
"I'm too old for toys," Mackenzie commented, though there was doubt in her eyes.
"Of course you are," Cheyenne joked. She handed her a rolled up piece of cloth. Mackenzie unrolled it. It was a shirt to match her mothers.
"Oh my god, it's beautiful," Mackenzie said. "I love it."
"I have one for Grandma, too. Where is she?"
Jack moved forward, that was his cue. "We'll talk about that on the way," he said pulling her aside.
#####
Cheyenne listened as they headed back to the hotel she had hoped to have grandma and the kids stay in for the night. When Lana had shared Cheyenne's request for a bigger place for mom, Janda had shown her a room that was almost palatial, on the rimward edge of the station with huge windows looking up at the stars.
As lovely as it was, Cheyenne had to demur again, the view would not convince mom that living on a space station was safe. Finally they had found a decent room in the same hotel, something roomy but not over large. It opened via a secondary lobby onto a large court with a playground for kids and numerous markets. Cheyenne had hoped seeing the playground and the court would ease mom's concerns.
But they couldn't if mom wouldn't even come up. And her behavior, from Jack's description, only fueled both Cheyenne's fears and her need to have her kids with her, whatever the cost.
A new naval dress uniform had been delivered to the hotel in their absence. "I've been to three places so far," a young hanuman female groused as she handed the uniform over.
"Our apologies," Janda said. He held his palm up, "for your inconvenience." They bumped palms and he transferred .02 to her account.
"A generous tip, my thanks," she replied, looking happier.
"Wow another alien," James whispered as she left.
Janda laughed. "Not really, Hanuman are simian." Cheyenne laughed, too. Six weeks living in close quarters with the likes of Kavinda and the others had left her with almost the same view. Compared to C'thon and Squid people, hanuman seemed very ordinary to her now.
"If we have time later, we can walk around and see a C'thon maybe," she told him. To Janda she asked, "Are there C'thon on board, or any other species?"
"A handful of C'thon," he replied consulting his slate, "and a few Chappatie as well. Otherwise its all Simian. Ooh, it just added Devan and Vatari, that can only mean the Princess and her entourage are onboard now."
"Unfortunately, that also means there will likely not be time for sight seeing," Zeta said. "You must get ready for the banquet. And there are matters I must attend to as well, you will be okay?"
"What about after the banquet?" James asked.
Cheyenne shrugged. "I'm not sure. I was planning on you two staying the night here, with mom. But if mom doesn't come up..."
"You could stay," James said. "We could sleep here and in the morning you could make pancakes like you do when you are home."
"I wish I could. But I still need to be in the tank at night. If mom comes up, you can stay and I will make pancakes as soon as I am up in the morning, okay?"
"One of us could stay, watch them," Lana suggested.
"And mom could get a hotel down on earth. Maybe," Cheyenne said. She knew mom wouldn't like that solution, but Cheyenne was desperate for something. She sighed and let it go. "We'll see, okay?" She went to change for the banquet.