where he was going to be stationed was named: NGC 6637 - VIII. It was the 8th planet in system, and the people that lived there had not taken the trouble to actually name their planet something. They referred to it as 'the planet', if at all the subject came up.
The atmosphere of the planet was quite breathable, no problem for enhanced lungs, Daniel read. That was good. The people were very humanoid, slightly smaller on average than people from Earth. Also good. Something that surprised him was the fact that there was no air traffic on the planet. All transport was done by either ground carriages or boats and ships.
Daniel rubbed his forehead. "No air traffic? What on earth do they need security for then? Wonder if I can find something about border patrol. If that's there, I'm quitting before I get on the job." Then he recalled the remark of Captain Chambers, about sea sickness. Boats and ships. Right. That had to be the connection.
Spacenet provided no information, as usual. Daniel knew that there was too much information around, and cataloguing all that took a lot of time. And this was not something important for the majority of people searching stuff. He selected the last bit of information that was there about NGC6637-VIII: "Visitors to NGC6637-VIII are advised to observe the dress code."
Daniel wondered if he should be worried.
Later that day, a package was delivered to his cabin. In it were microblots with more information about the planet. Someone, he thought, is going through a lot of trouble to prepare me for that place. It looks as if they are doing all they can to get rid of me.
They, whoever they were, also made it that Daniel did not get in touch with the other Rebuilts on the base. All, that was, except Rhonda Flower. Rhonda had too much leverage on high command, because of her work and skills. She could do everything she wanted, within certain limits.
They often sat in the Glass Dome, talking or reading about the things on NGC6637-VIII. There were bits and pieces about the language, the culture, social events that needed attention, the works..
"You are going to have a ball, Daniel," Rhonda said as she reread a paragraph about formal dinner parties. "That is so you. Formal dinner parties." She laughed and almost rolled from the low bench they sat on.
"Yeah, sure," said Daniel, "I have figured out I will be doing something with boats there, so no formal stuff for me. And I will keep it that way."
"If you have to dress up, you must send me a picture," Rhonda grinned. "And I will come and have a look for myself then!"
Daniel grinned. "Oh yes. We can go out to a gala or the opera or so."
"Hey, stop there. No opera, okay? I like light and funny stuff. It is still beyond me how someone on a stage can sing for half an hour after being stabbed in the gut by someone, before keeling over."
Daniel stared at her, then grinned. He had never looked at opera that way.
"And then the next guy comes around," Rhonda continued, "and sings for another half hour, instead of calling for a medic. No. Opera's wasted on me."
"That's hard to miss," Daniel said. "Okay. No opera for you."
"Good," Rhonda nodded.
Daniel put the reading tablet aside. "I'm going to miss you, Rhonda."
"No. You're not."
The soldier looked at her. "What?"
Rhonda shook her head. "You are not allowed to miss me. Yes, we had a good time. Yes, we connected a few times and that was amazing. But I have my place here, and you have your place... out there on some planet in the black. Don't miss me, Daniel. Be smart. Remain my friend. That's best."
Daniel watched Rhonda for a few moment. "Yes. That's best. Friends." They shook hands on it.
"Now, what more stuff do you have on there about NGC6637-VIII?"
They started looking up how people moved about there, and found a few pictures.
"You've got to be kidding..."
They stared at a carriage. It was black.
The atmosphere of the planet was quite breathable, no problem for enhanced lungs, Daniel read. That was good. The people were very humanoid, slightly smaller on average than people from Earth. Also good. Something that surprised him was the fact that there was no air traffic on the planet. All transport was done by either ground carriages or boats and ships.
Daniel rubbed his forehead. "No air traffic? What on earth do they need security for then? Wonder if I can find something about border patrol. If that's there, I'm quitting before I get on the job." Then he recalled the remark of Captain Chambers, about sea sickness. Boats and ships. Right. That had to be the connection.
Spacenet provided no information, as usual. Daniel knew that there was too much information around, and cataloguing all that took a lot of time. And this was not something important for the majority of people searching stuff. He selected the last bit of information that was there about NGC6637-VIII: "Visitors to NGC6637-VIII are advised to observe the dress code."
Daniel wondered if he should be worried.
Later that day, a package was delivered to his cabin. In it were microblots with more information about the planet. Someone, he thought, is going through a lot of trouble to prepare me for that place. It looks as if they are doing all they can to get rid of me.
They, whoever they were, also made it that Daniel did not get in touch with the other Rebuilts on the base. All, that was, except Rhonda Flower. Rhonda had too much leverage on high command, because of her work and skills. She could do everything she wanted, within certain limits.
They often sat in the Glass Dome, talking or reading about the things on NGC6637-VIII. There were bits and pieces about the language, the culture, social events that needed attention, the works..
"You are going to have a ball, Daniel," Rhonda said as she reread a paragraph about formal dinner parties. "That is so you. Formal dinner parties." She laughed and almost rolled from the low bench they sat on.
"Yeah, sure," said Daniel, "I have figured out I will be doing something with boats there, so no formal stuff for me. And I will keep it that way."
"If you have to dress up, you must send me a picture," Rhonda grinned. "And I will come and have a look for myself then!"
Daniel grinned. "Oh yes. We can go out to a gala or the opera or so."
"Hey, stop there. No opera, okay? I like light and funny stuff. It is still beyond me how someone on a stage can sing for half an hour after being stabbed in the gut by someone, before keeling over."
Daniel stared at her, then grinned. He had never looked at opera that way.
"And then the next guy comes around," Rhonda continued, "and sings for another half hour, instead of calling for a medic. No. Opera's wasted on me."
"That's hard to miss," Daniel said. "Okay. No opera for you."
"Good," Rhonda nodded.
Daniel put the reading tablet aside. "I'm going to miss you, Rhonda."
"No. You're not."
The soldier looked at her. "What?"
Rhonda shook her head. "You are not allowed to miss me. Yes, we had a good time. Yes, we connected a few times and that was amazing. But I have my place here, and you have your place... out there on some planet in the black. Don't miss me, Daniel. Be smart. Remain my friend. That's best."
Daniel watched Rhonda for a few moment. "Yes. That's best. Friends." They shook hands on it.
"Now, what more stuff do you have on there about NGC6637-VIII?"
They started looking up how people moved about there, and found a few pictures.
"You've got to be kidding..."
They stared at a carriage. It was black.
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