The trio agreed to the conditions, and the group talked a little longer before they were escorted into the wrinkled cabin.
“You can dispose of those oxygen helmets. You won’t be needing them here.” The general said. As the angels walked through the door, they jumped back at the static on their bodies.
The moment they stepped through the door, their few wounds were entirely healed. Numbers were racing all up and down the doorframe behind them, a clear data screen that had assimilated their entry and reconfigured their very physical realities. The governor smiled, “That’s the data, the virtual reality itself. That’s what you were just inside. Similar to those red vials we sent you so many times. The chromosomes. These are also chromosomes, but of a different level and type.”
“The vials were all from you? Not the planets we visited?” Crip asked.
“Correct” Miss Mayor replied, “We knew you were on your way as soon as you departed your galaxy’s perimeters. Because you were already on your way here, that is how you entered my jurisdiction…years ago.”
This really threw the angels for a loop. They were certain the vials had been sent from each planet they had stopped by, or at least it had been made to appear that way. That would be something the deity of the illusion of life being separated from death would be capable of, among many other unimaginable things.
The room now around them was extremely neat. The floor sparkled like pearls, and jet black glass benches took up all the space. “This is the lobby of our capitol building,” Miss Mayor informed them.
Glancing back over at her, they say the Mayor’s diamond gown was gone, in place was a formal cream skirt with a blue blouse and a tidy necklace.
“You three will fill out these applications,” the governor began, “and therefore have set occupations. I’ve ensured that these locations will accept you. We’ve organized positions that would best fit each of you for starting out. Though, after the first month you’ll have to pay a higher tax than the others here. This is required of you three because of the risks of your species to our species, forcing us to prepare for any consequences… Death could bring.” He handed the forms over to the Jens.
They were surprised at how similar to the other worlds and how routine life was arranged so far, for a species that had evolved out of its own demise. “You may keep the yellow sheet, give the blue one to me and the white one to your new boss. Now that we’re all set, we will be sending you to your new home.”
As the three walked out of the capitol building through a regal gateway, Trixie read her application title, “Suisei Public Resources Department.”
It was not long before they became aware of just how advanced this planet really was. The three were inside a sleek, polished limo with no wheels. Paka, Crip and Trixie sat quietly in the back, their disposition very much giving mice in a tiger cage. Strangely shaped buildings, soaring steeples and neat spiral towers were on both sides and around every turn of the flight ahead. They were extremely neat and well defined, the most beautiful shades of marble, iron, gold, diamonds and the finest materials in a utopian presentation unscathed by anyone or any natural disaster. Did the evolution out of death affect the very climate? From how clean, and utterly unscratched every visual appeared, it seemed the climate itself had evolved out of any disaster as well. Some buildings reflected the products they sold, echoing the historical marketing they remembered being prevalent back on Cyber. Other buildings were art pieces themselves. One of the toy stores looked like a brand new doll with orange yarn and button eyes, and a patched jean jumper suit where the resting hand was the doorway to the doll building. An ice cream shop’s structure was a cone with a large quantity of ice cream on the top that looked extremely real except for the fact that it was not melting.
The library door for example, they had quickly scanned, was a glass book case that flapped open and closed as people entered or exited. Many of the buildings were picturesque, and many were an impossible and yet eccentric composition of art form representing its product. According to their understanding of building laws and regulations, many of these structures made no sense as to how they held form so seamlessly. Their very vehicle was floating without a motor or engine, and so were the vehicles and hover bikes around them.
Humungous silver tubes stuck out of the ground before them, like giant waterslides of steel placed throughout multiple parking lots. Trixie, Crip and Paka watched as a white truck floated up over to the nearest steel tube, and disappeared into it so fast that the Jens jumped back only after it had gone in. They then wearily followed what seemed to be two police vehicles zip into the tube after them. If law enforcement was still part of what they were now realizing was one of the most advanced civilizations that possibly existed in the universe, would that mean inmates imprisoned.. never died? Permanent imprisonment? That added a whole new layer of discomfort to contemplate on. The pull between awe and being uncomfortably floored was hitting all of the Jens very heavily.
The general in the driver’s seat threw up his hands,“These teenagers trying to wreck our order!--Oh, I’m sorry...” he began to the Jens, “I see you are unaccustomed with all of this. Well, first of all we made the hauling pipes way back since the world was getting over populated with no death and all. Injuries from vehicular crashes were overloading our medical system..”
There was already a LOT more than just the pipes that the three Jens had seen and had questions about- but their senses were very overloaded, so they listened quietly. “Anyhow, Tech Com designed an underground way of transportation by using these pipes that magnetically take the hover crafts to where we want to go and at an almost lightning speed ..” The general glanced in the rearview mirror, and all three of the angels look visibly frightened. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn soon enough. There’s lots of rules you have to follow too. Basically there’s four underground levels- slow, medium, and fast. Already sounds simple right? Then there’s the subway. You’ll get manuals.”
They felt the vehicle shift and rise, then steadily drift forward, overshadowing a wide, round hauling pipe. The three newcomers held their breath. At least the seatbelts were tight x straps across their chests. The feeling of being at the peak of a bottomless coaster was not enjoyable after crashing so recently. They were about to vertically plunge into an unlit hole. literally. “Something wrong?” Miss Mayor asked casually from the other front seat.
They could feel the suction pulling as they tilted forward and dropped in- all the way straight down, in a mind blowing plunge. Within seconds the vehicle dove upright and was speeding through the spherical tunnel with the windows showing only a blur. Crip’s face was blue. Trixie was trying not to cry.
“Um...This is the fast?...” Paka asked woozily.
“Medium speed” the general replied.
Bright intermittent lights began passing above and around them, and it was difficult to tell whether they were upside down, right side up, or sideways. In the next few moments the lights were gone again and they rocket shot out of the tunnel into blue light, arriving at a new parking lot, curving horizontally, and coming to a quick stop. The slow drop and shutdown of the limo caused Paka and Crip to sigh. The doors slid open and their windows rolled down.
Before them was a great cement dome with dense materials for windows, and replicates of the dome all the way down the road. A neighborhood of domes. The green lawns were neatly mowed with spacious parking lots beside each dome home, and three new hover crafts already parked in their lot. Green trees were situated neatly around each home, and a neat forestry surrounded the neighborhood. “These must be very resistant to natural disasters. Insurance policies did not believe in the power of this kind of housing back where we were from, it was all about looks” Trixie commented.
“Being that there are no natural disasters here anymore, these homes are specifically selected for immigrants outside of Gliese genetics, funded by our government” Miss Mayor replied, as they all exited the vehicle. “Being that so many planets have many of the same foundations for survival before the years of work to evolve together, we decided that this look would make refugees from prison galaxies who arrive here feel.. Safe.”
“Hardly,” the general replied, “Even the galaxies where the planets are bombing themselves, and have not even advanced to intergalactic battle yet.. They are trying to skip that step and find us. As soon as any inhabitant is protecting their own world, it typically then advances to either interplanetary combat, or preservation of their species from the destruction of their world due to climate type disasters.. In both cases, they sometimes find us. In the best cases, they are on their way to becoming like us in their own worlds without significant loss.”
“Will they be our neighbors?” Paka asked.
“No,” Miss Mayor replied, “You are the only immigrants here for now. The previous arrivals have all died of old age, with their assigned Deaths. It is rare that more than two groups find us at the same time.”
Paka exhaled deeply, “That’s a mighty fine place we are getting and our own cars too..”
“You will have to prove a good life here, and contribute as you have been directed,” Miss Mayor added sternly, “We have had situations where they did not work well with us before, where they intentionally caused our species harm. We deported them. Back to space.”
“We will do our best, I promise! We won’t let you down” Crip assured them earnestly, though his eyes lay heavily on Miss Mayor.
Even with her infinite existence, she quickly looked away to make sure she could keep her composure. Miss Mayor had not experienced this level of intensity from a mortal before, or even fellow immortals, and was quite uncertain about how to react to it.
Trixie blinked at her brother, wanting to say something, but just quietly smiling. She was not sure if she should be curious or scared for their lives. Yet, any of them being passionate about anything was something they had all been so repressed from because of their literal survival mode. Ultimately, Trixie could not help but feel peaceful pride at seeing Crip’s elated enchantment with the deity. He was the first of the three to express what looked like magic, in a long time, and it gave her hope.
The Governor made a gesture for Miss Mayor to return, and she slipped into the back seat of the limo. Miss Mayor could still feel Crip’s eyes on her, and she gestured for the Governor to complete the orientation. “Each of you will have your own rooms within the unit for extended privacy. Your work will begin next week.” Governor Demosh handed over three copies of silver keys and room numbers to Trixie, who was nearest to the limo.
“Thank you” Paka said, knowing that no words expressing their gratitude for survival could fully express what he felt, “Thank you for taking in our family.”
The Governor nodded out the window with a smile. Within moments, the vehicle lifted and set off, racing down the hauling pipe. “It must be part of their advanced technology that they were the ones controlling how we arrived and where we went too..” Paka commented. Crip watched the pipe a little longer.
His heart was racing, and he hardly understood the feelings rushing through him. Trixie lightly slugged him in the shoulder with a smirk, and the three headed over to the entrance of their new home. They did not expect the floating interface upon stepping in. “ Welcome to the U. A, Ultramodern Arrangement for the use of extraterrestrials” a person, but very much a computer voice spoke, “This is the Computerized Security Service. Please press enter if you have not yet received your room number, otherwise, please enter your room number with your assigned registrations.” The three did as they were told. The U .C. S accepted and one of the white walls turned into a translucent glass that slid apart at their steps. “Cool!!” Crip was the first to run through.
A hallway led to each of their rooms, and beyond that was the shared living room and kitchen. A small laundry room sat next to the door to the backyard, and the bathrooms were in between room units. Though it was a petite home, it had high ceilings and it was as much of a beautiful dome on the inside as the outside had been. The thick textured bubble windows were especially interesting.
“Man,” Crip said, “We’re home. Really home...” His voice had a touch of astonished nostalgia, but for the present. They didn’t even need to ask about their things. The red capsules had already arrived and organized the clothing, necessities, and food items for them. If this planet Gliese was able to keep track of us for this long, even subtly educating us from afar, it is no shock they already have what we need here.”
Crip scurried upstairs exploring the new residence with high-pitched ‘woo-hoo s’ and his regular wacky behavior when people weren’t around--which had been most of his life. Trixie sighed, turning her trudge into the next room. She flopped onto the bed and realized that it was not the ordinary thin pad she was used to, it was a very dense and all encompassing spongy-oil cushion. Her body sunk comfortably into the mattress.
From the open door her Grandpa peeked in, “You know Trixie, I know this is overwhelming to us all. We were still told that one day we will end. I mean, I know we already knew that. We didn’t know people couldn’t end until today! I understand how it can be hard to be sure we are really safe now.. But because we are finally somewhere, we should be glad. We should be happy about what we have today. There is no promise we will still have it tomorrow.”
Trixie felt the pain in his words, long before ever being captured in the Palace of X those words resonated. “It might be taking us time but, Crip is happy,” Trixie said quietly, “That is reason enough to look forward to another day.”